erfgoedprofessionals

Erfgoedprofessionals are specialists who work to identify, preserve, study, and communicate cultural heritage objects, sites, and landscapes. The term encompasses professionals across museums, archives, libraries, archaeology, historic monuments, and related cultural institutions, as well as researchers, conservators, and policy advisers who focus on heritage protection and interpretation.

They engage in collection management, conservation, and preventive care; curation and interpretation; digitization and digital preservation; provenance research; metadata and cataloguing; risk assessment; and project management. They may develop exhibitions and educational programs, write preservation policies, and advise on public access, sustainable stewardship, funding, and disaster planning.

Typical competencies include object handling and conservation science, archival practices, cataloguing and metadata standards, digital heritage methods, ethics, provenance research, bilingual communication, stakeholder engagement, and collaboration with communities. Professionals often work in multidisciplinary teams and must adapt to changing technologies and public expectations.

Education commonly includes degrees in museology, conservation, archival science, library science, history, archaeology, or heritage studies, with professional certifications and continuing education. Adherence to national and international standards and codes of ethics—such as those from ICOM and IFLA—guides practice and professional conduct.

Key challenges include balancing access with preservation, safeguarding digital heritage, climate-related risks, funding constraints, and the need for inclusive and diverse heritage representation. Ongoing professional development and networks help erfgoedprofessionals share best practices and respond to emerging governance and policy questions.

See also: cultural heritage, museology, conservation, archives, digital preservation.