The International Council of Museums is a non-governmental organization that works on the international stage and is made up of museum and professional institutions. Its main objective is the conservation, maintenance and diffusion of human cultural and natural heritage, present and future, tangible and intangible. It is made up of 32,000 members from 136 countries, 117 national committees and 30 international committees, which represent the different fields of specialization of the museums.
ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums of Natural Sciences, prepared by the Working Group of Ethics ICOM International Committee NATHIST . Approved unanimously on 16 August 2013 , during the 23rd General Assembly of ICOM , held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil ) .