List of the international instruments directly and indirectly relating to museums and collections:

• Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954), and its two Protocols (1954 and 1999)
• Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (1970)
• Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972)
• Convention on Biological Diversity (1992);
• UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects (1995)
• Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage (2001)
• Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003)
• Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005)
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966)
• Recommendation on International Principles Applicable to Archaeological Excavations (UNESCO, 1956)
• Recommendation concerning the Most Effective Means of Rendering Museums Accessible to Everyone
• (UNESCO, 1960)
• Recommendation on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Export, Import and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (UNESCO, 1964)
• Recommendation concerning the Protection, at National Level, of the Cultural and Natural Heritage (UNESCO, 1972)
• Recommendation concerning the International Exchange of Cultural Property (UNESCO, 1976)
• Recommendation for the Protection of Movable Cultural Property (UNESCO, 1978)
• Recommendation on the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture and Folklore (UNESCO, 1989)
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
• UNESCO Declaration of the Principles of International Cultural Cooperation (1966)
• UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2001)
• UNESCO Declaration concerning the Intentional Destruction of Cultural Heritage (2003)
• United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007)