ISSN: 2225-8329
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Museums are essential for preserving cultural heritage, collective memory, and national identity, yet their survival is increasingly threatened by conflicts, disasters, security risks, and complex crises. Existing studies often examine museum governance, risk management, decision-making, legal protection, and business continuity separately, leaving limited understanding of their integrated role in museum resilience. This study examines how these mechanisms collectively strengthen museum survival in high-risk environments, with particular reference to the United Arab Emirates. Using a qualitative descriptive-analytical and doctrinal legal approach, the study analyses relevant legislation, international conventions, institutional standards, and governance and risk-management frameworks. The findings show that legal protection alone is insufficient; museum resilience requires integrated governance, risk preparedness, adaptive decision-making, institutional coordination, and business continuity. The study contributes an integrated museum-survival framework that connects these previously fragmented dimensions and provides practical guidance for museum managers and policymakers to strengthen preparedness, institutional continuity, and long-term resilience.
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