The elaboration of the Recommendation, formally adopted by the 38th session of the General Conference on 17 November 2015, originated from the desire to supplement and extend the application of standards and principles laid down in existing international instruments referring to the place of museums, and to their related roles and responsibilities. An issue that was increasingly called for, noting especially that the last international instrument wholly dedicated to museums dates to 1960.

Following the preparatory phase which included an expert assessment meeting in Rio de Janeiro in 2012 and after a series of Executive Board resolutions and General Conference Decisions (see detailed chronology and history below), 2013 saw the Member States inviting the Director-General to elaborate a preliminary text of a new non-binding standard-setting instrument, in the form of a recommendation, and to submit the text at its 38th session in November 2015 for its possible adoption.

On the basis of comments received from Member States, UNESCO, in close cooperation with the International Council of Museums (ICOM), prepared a final report containing the draft Recommendation which was transmitted to Member States by the Director-General (CL/4101) on 3 April 2015. This report and accompanying draft were examined at the intergovernmental meeting of experts (category II) at UNESCO Headquarters on 27 and 28 May 2015 and a final draft text of the Recommendation was adopted on 28 May 2015 to be submitted for adoption by the 38th session of the General Conference.