ICOM is proud to announce the publication of its first issue of Museum International an academic journal that promotes the exchange of information about museums and cultural heritage on an international level. Published by UNESCO since 1948 and with Wiley-Blackwell since 1992, publishing rights for the journal were transferred to ICOM in 2013. In collaboration with Wiley-Blackwell, ICOM now holds exclusive responsibility for the editorial policy and content of the journal.

This first issue focuses on the theme Achievements and Challenges in the Brazilian Museum Landscape. It includes 11 articles that explore Brazilian museums from a range of different disciplines and perspectives. In her editorial, Adriana Mortara Almeida, the issue’s Editor in Chief writes: “The content of the articles in this issue reveals the striking development in museum policies in Brazil and the initiatives to serve visitors better, by ensuring public participation in the design of museum proposals and improving communication processes and the quality of the services offered. The picture presented is positive and optimistic, although the articles also deal with challenges and obstacles that must be faced.”

ICOM intends to continue the journal’s tradition of fostering interdisciplinary research and encouraging best practices for the safeguarding and protection of cultural heritage, making some selected changes to the journal’s editorial policy. An Editorial Board will choose themes that reflect contemporary issues in the museum field and the diversity of ICOM by drawing on the expertise of ICOM’s International Committees. Initially, ICOM will publish the journal exclusively in English, and a Chinese version will be published through a partnership with Yilin Press. ICOM will seek out partners for editions in other languages in a second phase.

ICOM’s second issue of the journal will be dedicated to the International Museum Day theme of 2014, Museum collections make connections, with COMCOL Chair Léontine Meijer-Van Mensch as its Editor in Chief. It is set to be published later this year. After the completion of these first two transitional issues, the permanent Editorial Board will be in place for all subsequent issues, with Prof. Dr Tereza Scheiner as Editor in Chief and Aedín Mac Devitt as Managing Editor. The board will discuss and choose themes, authors and a panel of peer reviewers.