Sciencenter
Code of Professional Ethics
Mission: To inspire excitement for science through interactive exhibits and programs
that engage, educate, and empower.
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As a nonprofit organization dedicated to its mission, the value of the Sciencenter to its
communities is closely related to the quality and impact of the services it provides. The
Sciencenter recognizes, however, that passion for our mission and professional capacity must
be accompanied by a high standard of ethical conduct and a loyalty to our local community,
our audience at peer museums, and the museum profession.
In accordance with these principles, members of the Board of Trustees, the Executive
Director, staff, and volunteers of the Sciencenter shall work together to:
1. Conduct themselves at all times in a manner to bring credit to the Sciencenter and museum
profession.
2. Abide by the bylaws and policies that govern the Sciencenter.
3. Comply fully with all legal obligations, whether in relation to national, regional, or local law,
and to any legally binding trusts or conditions relating to any aspect of the museum’s exhibits,
programs, or facilities. Actively seek awareness of non-compliance or changes in laws by
soliciting advice annually from trustees, contractors (bookkeeper, auditor, etc.), and the
Sciencenter’s attorney. Areas include, but are not limited to: HR, Finance, Operations, and
Ethics.
4. Provide suitable facilities for the Sciencenter to fulfill its mission of public education in
science through exhibits, programs, and events. Hold paramount the safety, health and
welfare of the public and the protection of the environment. Protect the museum to the best
of our abilities, from destruction and deterioration. Provide for the special needs of disabled
persons in planning and managing Sciencenter facilities.
5. Ensure that the Sciencenter has staff sufficient in both number and kind to meet the
museum's responsibilities. Provide and comply with human resource policies in accord with all
relevant legislation and accepted human resource practices. Uphold the principle of
appropriate and adequate compensation for the performance of professional duties and
responsibilities.
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6. Conduct the affairs of the Sciencenter in accordance with accepted principles of sound
business and financial management and accounting procedures.
7. Conscientiously fulfill the duties of their positions at the Sciencenter. Stay abreast of
current developments in the profession, maintain staff competence, advance staff knowledge
and skills, and support opportunities for the professional development of staff.
8. Undertake professional assignments only when qualified by training or experience, provide
an opinion on a professional subject only when it is founded upon adequate knowledge and
honest conviction, and indicate sources of information when necessary.
9. Conduct themselves with fairness, courtesy and good faith towards clients, colleagues and
the public, give credit where it is due, and accept as well as give honest and fair professional
comment.
10. Extend public knowledge and understanding of science and technology and protect against
misrepresentation and misunderstanding. Ensure that information in displays and exhibitions
is current, honest and objective and does not perpetuate myths or stereotypes.
11. Continue to develop the role of the Sciencenter as an educational resource available to all
parts of our audience. Attract new and wider audiences within all levels of the community and
encourage their active involvement in the museum.
12. Encourage employment opportunities and accessibility at the Sciencenter for all people.
Avoid all unlawful discrimination in all decisions related to selection of trustees, staff,
volunteers, and advisors and in all relationships with the public and the community
13. Avoid conflicts of interest; however, should a conflict of interest arise, fully disclose the
circumstance without delay to the leadership of the Sciencenter and refrain from voting or
otherwise acting on matters related to such conflict.
14. Support the museum profession by sharing information and experiences with other
members through attendance at technical meetings, publication, and cooperation with
museum colleagues as well as other educators and community organizations.
15. Acquire only those exhibitions or components of thereof that support the purpose and
activities of the Sciencenter. Abide by the Sciencenter's policies related to acquisition, care,
documentation, disposal, loans, and conflicts of interest related to exhibitions.
16. Protect the health, safety and well-being of live animals in the Sciencenter's charge.
Ensure that adequate measures have been taken to protect the safety of staff and visitors, who
come in contact with the live animals.
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17. Offer for sale in the museum store only those items that are relevant to the educational
purpose of the Sciencenter, are of high quality and represent good value.
18. Maintain high personal standards of moral responsibility, character, and integrity. Protect
all confidential information related to the source of material owned by or loaned to the
museum, as well as information concerning the security arrangements of the Sciencenter.
Respect the privacy of anonymous donors and the confidential nature of all human resource
information.
19. Decline gifts, favors, loans, or other dispensations or things of more than modest value in
connection with their duties for the Sciencenter, without prior written approval of the
Executive Director, who shall in turn seek such approval from the Board of Trustees. Examples
of acceptable gifts of modest value include meals and novelty items with advertising
identification affixed to them.
20. Abide by the Sciencenter’s policy on who may serve as a public spokesperson for the
museum (Executive Director, Deputy Director, Public Relations & Media Manager, or Board
Chair). Avoid misrepresentation when participating in voluntary outside activities with
community groups or in the public arena. Conduct themselves so that their activities do not
reflect adversely on the reputation or integrity of the Sciencenter. Avoid the appearance of
acting or speaking in an official capacity or on the Sciencenter's behalf, unless so authorized by
the board resolution or if prior approval has been granted by the Executive Director.
21. Respect and protect access to Sciencenter resources, programs, and privileged
information. Recognize that access of volunteers to the Sciencenter's internal business is a
privilege, and the lack of material compensation for effort expended on behalf of the
Sciencenter in no way frees a volunteer from adherence to the standards that apply to paid
staff.
22. Recognize that outside employment, such as teaching, lecturing, writing, and consulting
can benefit both the Sciencenter and the staff member by stimulating personal professional
development, as long as such activity does not interfere with the staff member's regular duties.
The individual should not take advantage of a Sciencenter position for personal gain or appear
to compromise the integrity of the Sciencenter.
23. Pay any fundraising counsel on a per-project basis and NOT by commission or on a
percentage basis.
24. Protect confidentiality and decline to sell, trade, or otherwise distribute lists of members
or donors to other individuals or organizations.
25. Subscribe to the Code of Professional Ethics of the International Council of Museums
(ICOM).
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26. Subscribe to the Principles of Good Governance of the Independent Sector.
27. Ensure that trustees and staff receive this Code of Ethics during their orientation and are
reminded of it annually.
Approved by the Board of Trustees Jan. 26, 1998
Rev. May 23, 2005, April 6, 2010, May 3, 2012
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