Code of Ethics

The Heard Museum Guild makes an essential contribution to fulfilling the mission of the Museum which reads, “The mission of the Heard Museum of Native Cultures and Art is to educate people about the arts, heritage and life ways of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, with an emphasis on American Indian tribes of the Southwest.” Volunteers share with staff and members of the Board of Trustees a responsibility to support a code of ethical behavior consistent with the public trust accorded the Museum. Guild members should accept responsibility for understanding the policies and programs adopted by the Museum Trustees and support the achievement of these policies and programs. Volunteers should abide by relevant portions of the ethics statement as it is contained in THE COLLECTION AND COLLECTION MANAGEMENT POLICY of the Heard Museum.

Access to the Museum’s inner activities is a privilege, and the lack of material compensation for effort expended in behalf of the Museum in no way frees the volunteer from adherence to the standards that apply to paid staff. Conflicts of interest restrictions placed upon the staff must be explained to volunteers and, where relevant, observed by them. The volunteer must work toward the betterment of the institution and not for personal gain other than the natural satisfaction and enrichment of participating in the Museum.

While the Museum may accord certain special privileges to volunteers, they should not accept gifts, favors, loans or things of value from other parties in connection with carrying out duties for the institution.

Volunteers who deal with the Museum’s collections and interpretive programs work in areas that are especially sensitive. In particular, volunteers may find that they have access to confidential information and should respect that confidentiality as part of the vital support they render to the Museum.

Museum volunteers should consider themselves obligated to fulfill their responsibilities in the same spirit as though they were a part of the paid staff.