Hello All,
I'm looking for some advice, and thought this might be the perfect place to start. The museum I work at, the U.S. Marshals Museum, is currently in planning stages. We have begun exhibit design, and have begun to collect artifacts as well. We intend to tell the story of the U.S. Marshals Service from inception (1789) to present. The Marshals Service is still an active law enforcement agency. As such, we are being given photographs that depict people who are still alive, and some who are still active in the service. Out of common courtesy, I intend to notify people when we plan to use a photograph of them in the exhibits.
My question is this: What are my legal obligations when it comes to showing photographs of people who are still alive? Are there any? (I have not previously worked in a museum dealing with contemporary topics and artifacts). What about instances where the person shown is deceased, but there are immediate family members still alive?
Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated. And just to clarify, I am not looking for feedback regarding copyright issues, just legal obligations of showing photographs of people who are still alive.
Thank you!
Best,
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Jessica Hougen
Curator
U.S. Marshals Museum
Fort Smith AR
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