The Ten-Year Collection of Museums in France
Proofing is used to verify, from inventories, the presence of works in museum collections.
The decennial document is a regulatory operation, governed by the 2002 law on museums in France, and supervised by the Ministry of Culture.
The first proofing was completed on 31 December 2015, the law requiring it to be carried out every 10 years, the second ten-year proofing is scheduled from 2016 to 2025.
The Museums of France’s 10-year financial statement: regulatory framework
Proofing is the consequence of the existence of a public domain (of the State and the local authorities), whose integrity it serves to verify.
As the collections of the "museums of France" are inalienable and imprescriptible, it is necessary to check, at regular intervals, that the owner is able to attest to their belonging and their presence (whether the exhibits are on display, in reserve or deposited in another establishment).
"The collections of the museums of France are inscribed on an inventory. They are completed every ten years", (Article L 451-2 of the French Heritage Code and Article 12 of the law of 4 January 2002 on museums in France).
The proofing consists in “verify, on the piece, and on the spot, from a property or its inventory number, the presence of the property in the museum’s collections, its location, its condition, its marking, the conformity of the entry in the inventory, with the property itself, and, if applicable, with the various documentary sources, archives, work files, catalogues».
Proofing operations are carried out under the responsibility of the professional responsible for collections. The responsibility of the head of institution, when he differs from the professional responsible for the collections, is also engaged.
As a result, the presence and state of preservation of the collections can be verified and programmes for improving management and conservation conditions can be planned.
It is also an opportunity to:
for museums:
- deepen knowledge of their collections and re-examine them;
- to promote them, to promote their circulation and digital distribution;
for the Crown:
- to have a more detailed view of the collections of the various museums and of all public collections;
for researchers:
- a better understanding of the history of collection development.
Since 2002, the Museums of France have been required by law to carry out this ancient practice of museums: to complete their collections every ten years.
The first ten-year official of museums in France was completed on 31 December 2015. The second official official official was launched on 1 December 2015er january 2016.
Proofing campaigns
Proofing operations are carried out by the competent professionals, under the responsibility of the head of establishment.
Proofing is organized by campaigns (Article 12 of the decree of 25 May 2004). The objectives of these campaigns are defined in accordance with the ten-year plan.
- financial support: the DRAC can financially support museums in France in their proofing campaign... acquisition of computer equipment, collection management software or recruitment of proofing staff;
- scientific support by museum advisors ;
- the organisation of training: training courses are regularly offered by the Ministry of Culture and the DRAC Grand Est to support institutions in their proofing operations.
End of Proofing Minutes
The end of proofing minutes, validated and signed by the collections manager, must be sent to the collection owner. It officially marks the end of the proofing operation.
This official and binding document may be required by State officials responsible for scientific and technical inspection and by the supervisory authorities.
It engages the Head of Collections and the owner (cf. Art. D451-16 of the French Heritage Code) in particular with regard to the missing goods and post-proofing operations to be implemented.
Minutes to be forwarded to RDCA
Its transmission to the DRAC (for the museums of France in the region) or to the ministry of supervision (for the national museums) allows their results to be taken into account in the annual evaluation.
If these results are part of the management control indicators, they may affect the allocation of certain budgets or grants.
The previous minutes are valuable documents for museum staff and successive officials.
The information of the minutes must be anticipated before the launch of the campaign (component sections, methods of data collection) by acquiring the necessary computer tools.
A vade-me cum for help with writing is available below.
The minutes can be edited as proofed (target evaluation error, objects reappeared in another campaign, etc.). An amending report shall then be drawn up indicating the amended data and the reasons for these changes. This document will refer to the minutes which it replaces.
2022 Proofing Campaign Minutes to RDCA
Each proofing campaign shall be the subject of a report, drawn up by the person responsible for the collections, within the meaning ofArticle L 442-8 of the French Heritage Code (Article 13, order of 25 May 2004) and addressed to the DRAC.
2022 Campaign Proofing Minutes to be sent to DRAC Grand Est for early January 2023.
Download at the bottom of the page:
- the template for the proofing report;
- the vade-me cum of final minutes.
To download
At the bottom of the page are available for download, the various legislative texts, reviews, notes, vade-mecum, guides..., relating to proofing.