The intention of such lists it to administer all objects that are managed by museums. Regularly, these lists are administered by the Ministry of Culture. Every few years, museums need to update their inventory in the national list.
Countries with a National register of museum objects
National register of museum objects and deaccessioning
Fifteen countries in Europe are required to maintain these all-encompassing registration lists. Examples include: The National Museum Stock (Bulgaria), the Central List of Cultural Monuments (Czech Republic), the Museums’ Collection Register (Denmark), the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands (Malta), and the Patrimonial Register of Classification (Portugal).
Although, the existence and the obligation for museums to register on these lists is written down in the legislation, some of the museums within these countries have not (yet) managed to get their records up to date. This has proven to be a long process.
Countries with an National register of museum objects
| Country | National register of museum objects |
|---|---|
| Bulgaria | The Bulgarian national government holds a register of all museum objects, called National Museum Stock. This is divided in different stocks with different modes of protection and handling possibilities: Main stock, exchange stock, Auxiliary stock. The last two can be deaccessioned or disposed of. |
| Croatia | Croatia has a national register of museum objects, called the List of cultural objects of national importance. This is found in the 1999 Act on the Protection and Preservation of Cultural Goods 2001 Ordinance on the Register of Cultural Goods of the Republic of Croatia
|
| Czech Republic | The Czech Republic has a Central List of Cultural Monuments. |
| Denmark | Denmark does have a national register of museum objects, called the Central Register of Cultural History
|
| Estonia | Estonia has a national register of objects, called the Database of Museums on which all museums have to register their museum inventory, found in Chapter 2 (Organisation of Museum Collection) of the Estonian Museum Act |
| France | The Ministry of Culture holds, via the Service des Musees a list of classified objects from all Musées de France. |
| Greece | Greece has a national register for museum objects, called the national inventory of Monuments. |
| Italy | Italy has a national register of museum objects Legislative Decree 22 January 2004, n. 42 Code of cultural heritage and landscape, in accordance with article 10 of the law of 6 July 2002§17
|
| Latvia | Latvia has a national register of museum objects, called the Catalogue of Unified National Museum Holdings. It is administered by the Ministry of Culture |
| Lithuania | Lithuania holds a state record of cultural properties, the register of movable cultural property. Law on the protection of movable cultural heritage Chapter 3
|
| Portugal | Portugal has a national register of museum objects, called the Patrimonial Register of Classification. |
| Romania | Romania has a national register of museum objects. |
| Slovakia | Slovakia has a national register of museum objects, administered by the Slovakian National Museum. |
| Slovenia | Slovenia has a national register of museum objects, administered by the Ministry of Culture. |
| Spain | Spain has a national register of museum objects called the General Register on cultural goods of interest, managed by the Ministry of Culture. On provincial levels, such lists are administered as well. |
