The National Institute of Museology and Collections Protection (NIMOZ) is a cultural institution of which the statutory tasks include scientific research and dissemination of the results of the research and studies. This includes, but is not limited to, documentation of data concerning:
- state of security of public collections;
- fires and crimes connected with public collections and causes thereof;
- principles, methods, techniques and technical means applied in protection of collections;
- designers, producers and fitters of security systems.
NIMOZ also prepares tactical-criminological principles of protection of relics, museums and libraries - the collections of which fully or in part create the National Library Resource - against crime.
The Institute keeps, under authorization from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, a list of relics which have been stolen or illicitly exported. This is a commonly accessible electronic data base run on the basis of a statutory delegation, which contains information about relics lost as a result of criminal acts against relics. Upon the authorization from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, it is also in charge of procedures concerning the export of relics abroad.
An important part of NIMOZ's tasks is monitoring of changes in the law and preparation of opinions about the impact of such changes in the context of activity of museums and protection of collections. The National Institute of Museology and Collections Protection co-operates with the Police on the basis of an agreement between the General Conservator of Relics and the Chief Commander of the Police concluded on the 10th of March 2005 on co-operation in the scope of prevention of and fighting the crime against relics (Official Journal of the Police Main Headquarters No. 6/2005, item 29) and an agreement of the 3rd of November 2004 concluded between the Chief Commander of the Police and the the Chief Commander of the Border Guard on collaboration in fighting of illegal export or illegal import of relics (Official Journal of Police Main Headquarters 04.21.135).
