ABSTRACT
Every museum worker should understand the legal basis on which his or her museum operates. The laws of different countries vary so greatly that it is often difficult to know how their different museums are established. Within countries, too, the legal basis on which different museums are established varies greatly. Of three museums that seem to the visitor very similar in size and type, one may be set up by a special decree of the state authorities, one may be run by a government department as part of their general activities, while the third may be run by a Board of Trustees operating under laws that govern voluntary associations.
