ICOMAM

• To encourage scientific research about arms and armour and military collections, both in specialised an general museums and in military collections.
  
  
• To stimulate a proper, professional standard of collection care, managment, conservation and use in line with internationally recognised good practice and ICOM guidelines.
  
  
• To promote the highest standards in display and interpretation.
  
  
• To encourage networking and partnerships between museums and research the world over.
  

It is the only international organisation of its kind dealing comprehensively with this particular field of interest. ICOMAM has over 260 members, representing museums in more than 50 countries world-wide, including such famous institutions as the Royal Armouries of Leeds, the French Musee de l'Armee, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Musée de l'Armée et d'histoire militaire in Brussels, the Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer of Vienna, the Real Armeria of Madrid, the Topkapi Sarayi Museum in Istanbul, etc. Membership has international increased over the past ten years including a larger share of museums outside of Europe and America. Also some so called Battlefield Museums are member of this international contact group.

ICOMAM holds triennial congresses and annual symposia or conferences and organises the triennial "Justus Lipsius Award" for outstanding published research in the field.

ICOMAM's approach to the study and conservation of artefacts is historical, sicientific and objective buy always within a social context. It seeks to explore both the technical development of the material culture of its subject area and the often profound impact this has had on national and international politics and economics, society and art. The committee hopes to demonstrate the extent to which arms and military history are part of all our cultural heritage.

ICOMAM is directed by an International ruling body called the Executive Board.

To learn more: please contact our Secretary, Mathieu Willemsen or Chairman, Piet De Gryse