Join ICOMOS

Why Join ICOMOS?

With over 12,000 members in over 150 countries and territories, ICOMOS is the largest global organisation of its kind working in cultural heritage conservation. Our membership includes professionals and experts working in every field associated with cultural heritage.

If you become an ICOMOS member, you join a major international professional network. This means you can participate in expert meetings, professional workshops, scientific exchanges, site inspections and training programmes all over the world. As an Advisory Body to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, ICOMOS gives members the opportunity to contribute to major cultural heritage protection decisions.

 

Benefits of ICOMOS Membership

• the right to attend ICOMOS General Assemblies;
• the opportunity to join and participate in ICOMOS International Scientific Committees;
• the opportunity to participate in ICOMOS National Committee activities;
• access to both ICOMOS e-news and the ICOMOS Documentation Centre;
• the opportunity to participate in ICOMOS’ World Heritage work, including desk reviews and expert missions.

 

Benefits of the ICOMOS Membership card

In addition to the numerous benefits of being a member of ICOMOS, our membership card gives members free or reduced access* to a wide range of cultural heritage places around the world.

We have created a non-exhaustive list of the sites that grant free or reduced access to membership card holders (cards must be valid for the current year), to help provide a service to ICOMOS members who are travelling.

*Disclaimer: This list is indicative, based on information supplied by our network, and as such we cannot guarantee that it is either exhaustive or up-to-date. Free or reduced access is kindly provided at the discretion of the places and establishments listed, and they retain the final say on whether or not to grant such access. Free or reduced price access may not apply to events or exhibitions. If you believe that a cultural heritage place should be added to or removed from this list, please contact your ICOMOS National Committee (see below), who will verify and pass this information on to the ICOMOS Headquarters.

Membership Categories

At ICOMOS, our main aim is to further the conservation of cultural heritage. We offer four membership categories:

• Individual members: professionals with expertise in one or more of ICOMOS’ specialist fields, as well as students who study a discipline in one of these areas;
• Institutional members: organisations with expertise in one or more of ICOMOS’ specialisms, plus organisations that own or look after cultural heritage;
• Affiliate members: individuals, institutions and organisations interested in cultural heritage conservation who wish to support ICOMOS’ aims and activities;
• Honorary members: elected by the ICOMOS General Assembly, these individuals have given distinguished service to the conservation of cultural heritage on an international level.

How to become a member of ICOMOS

Most of our members are part of the ICOMOS National Committee of their home country.

If you wish to join ICOMOS, you need to submit a membership application to your National Committee or Transnational Committee, if one exists.

If there is neither a National nor a Transnational Committee in your country, you can apply to join ICOMOS via the ICOMOS Headquarters as an international member.

If your membership application is rejected, or you receive no response, you can appeal directly to the ICOMOS International Board. You can find the appeals procedure in Articles 18 and 86 of our Rules of Procedure.