# Designation Scheme

The Designation Scheme is an English system that awards "Designated status" to museum, library and archive collections of national and international importance. The Scheme is administered by Arts Council England (ACE). As of 2023, 163 collections are officially designated. National museums are not eligible for Designated status.
The Scheme was first launched in 1997 under the auspices of what eventually became the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and originally covered only museum collections. Harewood House became the first stately home to be awarded Designated status in 1998. The scheme was expanded to cover libraries and archives in 2005. Responsibility was transferred to the Arts Council in October 2011 following the closure of the MLA.

## Designated collections

| Holding Organisation | Collection Name | Arts Council England (ACE) Area | Year Granted |
| Ashmolean Museum (Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM) - University of Oxford), Oxford | Ashmolean Museum Collections | South East | 1997 |
| The Barber Institute of Fine Arts (University of Birmingham), Birmingham | The Barber Institute of Fine Arts Collection | Midlands | 1998 |
| The Baring Archive, City of London | The Baring Archive | London | 2009 |
| Bath and North East Somerset Council - Heritage Services, Bath | Bath Fashion Museum Collection | South West | 1999 |
| Bath and North East Somerset Council - Heritage Services, Bath | Roman Baths Museum Collection | South West | 1999 |
| Bath Record Office, Bath | Bath Record Office Archive Collection | South West | 2005 |
| Beamish, the Living Museum of the North, Beamish | Beamish, the Living Museum of the North Collection | North | 1997 |
| Birmingham Libraries, Birmingham | Photography Collection Held by Birmingham Libraries | Midlands | 2005 |
| Birmingham Libraries, Birmingham | Archive Held by Birmingham Libraries | Midlands | 2005 |
| Birmingham Libraries, Birmingham | Early and Fine Printing Held by Birmingham Libraries | Midlands | 2005 |
| Birmingham Libraries, Birmingham | Literature Collections Held by Birmingham Libraries | Midlands | 2005 |
| Birmingham Libraries, Birmingham | Music Collections Held by Birmingham Libraries | Midlands | 2005 |
| Birmingham Libraries, Birmingham | The Birmingham Collection | Midlands | 2005 |
| Birmingham Museums Trust, Birmingham | Fine & Decorative Arts Collections Held by Birmingham Museums Trust | Midlands | 1997 |
| Birmingham Museums Trust, Birmingham | Science Collections Held by Birmingham Museums Trust | Midlands | 1997 |
| Birmingham Museums Trust, Birmingham | Birmingham History and Numismatics Collections Held by Birmingham Museums Trust | Midlands | 1998 |
| Birmingham Museums Trust, Birmingham | The Pinto Collection Held by Birmingham Museums Trust | Midlands | 1998 |
| Black Country Living Museum, Dudley | Black Country Living Museum Collections | Midlands | 2012 |
| Bodleian Libraries (Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM) - University of Oxford), Oxford | Special Collections at the Bodleian Library | South East | 2006 |
| The Bowes Museum, Durham | The Bowes Museum Collection, Barnard Castle | North | 1997 |
| Bradford Industrial Museum (Bradford Museums and Galleries), Bradford | Worsted Collection | North | 2009 |
| Bristol City Museums, Bristol | Bristol City Museums Collection of Applied Art | South West | 1998 |
| Bristol City Museums, Bristol | Bristol City Museums Far East Collection | South West | 1998 |
| Bristol City Museums, Bristol | Bristol City Museums Geology Collection | South West | 1998 |
| Bristol City Museums, Bristol | City of Bristol Collections | South West | 1998 |
| Bristol City Record Office and Bristol Central Library's Local Studies Service, Bristol | The Archive, History and Literacy Collection Relating to the History and Development of the City of Bristol | South West | 2005 |
| British Motor Museum, Gaydon | British Motor Museum Collection | Midlands | 2014 |
| Britten-Pears Foundation, Aldeburgh | The Britten-Pears Library | South East | 2005 |
| BT Archives, London | BT Archives | London | 2012 |
| Cambridge University Herbarium, Cambridge | Cambridge University Herbarium | South East | 2022 |
| Cambridge University Library, Cambridge | Special Collections at Cambridge University Library | South East | 2019 |
| Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne | The Collections at Canal Museum Stoke Bruerne | Midlands | 1999 |
| Chesterholm Museum (Vindolanda), Bardon Mill | The Vindolanda Trust Collection | North | 2016 |
| Chetham's Library, Manchester | Chetham's Library Collection | North | 2011 |
| Churchill College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge | Churchill Archives Centre | South East | 2005 |
| City of London Corporation, City of London | History of London Collection | London | 2005 |
| Colchester and Ipswich Museums, Colchester | Colechester Castle Museum's Archaeology Collection | South East | 1998 |
| Compton Verney, Compton Verney | Archaic Chinese Bronzes | Midlands | 2008 |
| Co-operative Archive Trust, Manchester | Co-operative Archive Trust Collections | North | 2007 |
| Cornwall Record Office, Redruth | Archives Relating to Cornwall's Hard-Rock Mining Industry | South West | 2005 |
| Courtauld Institute of Art, City of Westminster | The Courtauld Collection | London | 1997 |
| Culture Coventry, Coventry | Coventry Transport Museum Collection | Midlands | 1998 |
| Derby Museums, Derby | Joseph Wright of Derby Collection | Midlands | 2011 |
| Dulwich Picture Gallery, London | Dulwich Picture Gallery Collection | London | 1997 |
| Durham University Library, Durham | The Bishop Cosin's Library | North | 2005 |
| Durham University Library, Durham | The Sudan Archive | North | 2005 |
| Durham University Oriental Museum, Durham | Chinese Collections | North | 2008 |
| Durham University Oriental Museum, Durham | Ancient Egyptian Collections | North | 2008 |
| English Folk Dance and Song Society, London | Vaughan Williams Memorial Library | London | 2011 |
| Hampshire Record Office, Winchester | The Records Held by the Hampshire Record Office | South East | 2006 |
| Harewood House Trust, Harewood, Leeds | Harewood House Trust Collection | North | 1998 |
| Historic Royal Palaces, London | Hampton Court Palace | London | 2009 |
| Horniman Museum and Gardens, London | Ethnographic Collections at the Horniman Museum | London | 1997 |
| Institution of Civil Engineers, City of Westminster | Library, Archive and Works of Art | London | 2009 |
| Institution of Engineering and Technology, City of Westminster | Collections of the Institute of Electrical Engineers, that is the Rare Books, the Archives and the Library | London | 2006 |
| Ipswich Museum, Ipswich Borough Council, Ipswich | Post-Cretaceous Geology Collection | South East | 2023 |
| Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, Coalbrookdale | The Ironbridge Gorge Trust Collections | Midlands | 1997 |
| Jewish Museum London, London | Religious Life (Judaica) Collection at the Jewish Museum London | London | 1997 |
| John Rylands University Library (University of Manchester), Manchester | Special Collections at John Rylands University Library | North | 2005 |
| John Rylands University Library (University of Manchester), Manchester | Manchester Medical Society Library | North | 2005 |
| King's College London, City of Westminster | Liddell Hart Military Archives | London | 2005 |
| Kingston upon Hull City Museums and Art Galleries, Kingston upon Hull | Hull Museums Collections Relating to the City and Region | North | 1999 |
| Lambeth Palace Library, London | The Manuscripts, Archives and Printed Books Collection | London | 2005 |
| Lancashire County Museum Service, Preston | Textile Industry Collection | North | 1999 |
| Lapworth Museum of Geology (University of Birmingham), Birmingham | Lapworth Museum of Geology Collections | Midlands | 2008 |
| Leeds Museums and Galleries, Leeds | Leeds Museums and Galleries Fine and Decorative Arts Collection | North | 1997 |
| Leeds Museums and Galleries, Leeds | Leeds Museums and Galleries Natural Sciences Collection | North | 1998 |
| Leeds Museums and Galleries, Leeds | Leeds Museums and Galleries Industrial Collections | North | 1999 |
| Leeds University Special Collections Centre, Leeds | The English Literature Collection | North | 2005 |
| Leeds University Special Collections Centre, Leeds | Gypsy, Traveller and Roma Collections | North | 2005 |
| Leeds University Special Collections Centre, Leeds | The Cookery Collection | North | 2005 |
| Leeds University Special Collections Centre, Leeds | The Leeds Russian Archive | North | 2005 |
| Leeds University Special Collections Centre, Leeds | The Liddle Collection | North | 2005 |
| Library and Museum of Freemasonry, Freemasons Hall, London | Library and Museum of Freemasonry Collections | London | 2007 |
| Lincolnshire Archives, Lincoln | Lincoln Episcopal Rolls and Registers | Midlands | 2005 |
| Linnean Society of London, City of Westminster | Library, Archive and Biological Specimen Collections | London | 2014 |
| Liverpool and Merseyside Record Offices Liverpool | Photographic Image Collection | North | 2006 |
| London School of Economics and Political Science, London | British Library of Political and Economic Science | London | 2005 |
| London School of Economics and Political Science (Applied as London Metropolitan University), London | The Women's Library | London | 2006 |
| London Transport Museum, City of Westminster | London Transport Museum Collection | London | 1997 |
| Manchester City Galleries, Manchester | Manchester City Galleries Fine and Decorative Art Collections | North | 1997 |
| Manchester City Galleries, Manchester | Manchester City Galleries Costume and Textile Collections | North | 1997 |
| Manchester Museum, University of Manchester, Manchester | Manchester Museum Collection | North | 1997 |
| Mary Rose Trust, Portsmouth | Mary Rose Museum Collection | South West | 1997 |
| Middlesex University, Museum of Design and Domestic Architecture, London | Silver Studio Collection | London | 2008 |
| Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry | Modern Records Centre Collections | Midlands | 2006 |
| Museum of Design in Plastics, Arts University Bournemouth, Bournemouth | Museum of Design in Plastics Collection | South West | 2021 |
| Museum of London, City of London | Museum of London Collection | London | 1997 |
| Museum of Natural History (Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM) - University of Oxford), Oxford | Museum of Natural History Collections | South East | 1997 |
| Museum of the History of Science (Gardens, Libraries & Museums (GLAM) - University of Oxford), Oxford | History of Science Museum Collections | South East | 1997 |
| Museums Sheffield, Sheffield | Sheffield Museums Metalwork Collections | North | 1999 |
| National Football Museum, Manchester | National Football Museum Collections | North | 2013 |
| National Motor Museum, Beaulieu | National Motor Museum Collection | South West | 1997 |
| National Tramway Museum, Crich | National Tramway Museum Collection | Midlands | 1997 |
| Norfolk Museums Service, Norwich | Norwich Castle Museum Collections | South East | 1998 |
| Norfolk Record Office, Norwich | History of Norfolk Archive | South East | 2005 |
| Northampton Museum and Art Gallery | Boot and Shoe Collection at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery | Midlands | 1998 |
| Nottingham Museums (Heritage), Nottingham | Lace and Lace Machinery Collections | Midlands | 2014 |
| People's History Museum, Manchester | People's History Museum Collection | North | 1998 |
| Pitt Rivers Museum (Gardens, Libraries & Museums (GLAM) - University of Oxford), Oxford | Pitt Rivers Collection | South East | 1997 |
| Royal Academy of Arts, City of Westminster | Royal Academy of Arts Collections, Library and Archives | London | 2011 |
| Royal Academy of Music, City of Westminster | Special Collections and Archives of the Royal Academy of Music Library | London | 2005 |
| Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter | World Cultures Collections at Royal Albert Memorial Museum | South West | 1998 |
| Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter | George Montagu Collection | South West | 2019 |
| Royal College of Music, London | Royal College of Music, Museum and Library Collections | London | 2020 |
| Royal College of Surgeons of England, London | Hunterian Museum Collection and the Archive and Library Collections | London | 2013 |
| Royal Engineers Museum, Gillingham | Royal Engineers Museum | South East | 1998 |
| Royal Geographical Society (with Institute of British Geographers), City of Westminster | Geographical Material Held by the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers | London | 2005 |
| Royal Horticultural Society, City of Westminster | Lindley Library Collection | London | 2011 |
| Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), City of Westminster | British Architecture Library | London | 2005 |
| Royal Pavilion and Museums Brighton & Hove, Brighton and Hove | Booth Museum Natural History Collection | South East | 1997 |
| Royal Pavilion and Museums Brighton & Hove, Brighton and Hove | Decorative Arts Collections Held by Royal Pavilion and Museums Brighton & Hove | South East | 1998 |
| Royal Pavilion and Museums Brighton & Hove, Brighton and Hove | World Art and Anthropology Collections Held by Royal Pavilion and Museums Brighton & Hove | South East | 1998 |
| Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon | The Shakespeare Collection | Midlands | 2005 |
| Sir John Soane's Museum, London | Sir John Soane's Museum Collection | London | 1999 |
| Southampton City Council Arts & Heritage, Southampton | Fine Art Collections Held by Southampton City Council Arts & Heritage | South West | 1998 |
| Southampton City Council Arts & Heritage, Southampton | Archaeology Collections Held by Southampton City Council Arts & Heritage | South West | 1998 |
| SS Great Britain, Bristol | The SS Great Britain Collection | South West | 2014 |
| St John's College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge | The Old Library Collection Cambridge | South East | 2005 |
| Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service, Stafford | Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service Collections | Midlands | 2011 |
| Stoke-on-Trent Museums, Stoke-on-Trent | The Stoke Museums Service Collections | Midlands | 1997 |
| Telegraph Museum Porthcurno, Porthcurno | Core Collection of Submarine Telegraphy Objects & the Historic Archive Collections of Key International Telegraph Cable Companies | South West | 2009 |
| The Box (Plymouth Museums Galleries Archives), Plymouth | The Cottonian Collection | South West | 1998 |
| The Brontë Society, Haworth, Bradford | The Brontë Parsonage Museum Collection | North | 2023 |
| The Canal and River Trust, Ellesmere Port | Canal and River Trust Collections at National Waterways Museum - Ellesmere Port and National Waterways Museum Gloucester | South West | 1998 |
| The Cheltenham Trust, Cheltenham | Arts and Craft Collection at The Wilson | South West | 1998 |
| The Kimmeridge Trust, Kimmeridge | The Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Marine Life | South West | 2020 |
| The Mass Observation Archive, Brighton and Hove | The Mass Observation Archive | South East | 2005 |
| The Postal Heritage Trust, London | The Records Relating to the Operation, Policy, Development and Social Impact of the British Post Office from 1636 to the resent Day (Held By the Royal Mail Archive) | London | 2005 |
| The Royal Artillery Museum, Salisbury | The Royal Artillery Collection | South West | 1999 |
| The Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum Trust, Salisbury | The Salisbury Museum Archaeology Collection | South West | 1998 |
| The Tank Museum, Bovington Camp | The Tank Museum Collection | South West | 1998 |
| The Weiner Holocaust Library, London | The Weiner Holocaust Library Collection | London | 2017 |
| The Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere | The Wordsworth Trust Collection | North | 1997 |
| Torbay Museums Trust, Torquay | Quaternary Cave Collection & Archive | South West | 2016 |
| Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Carlisle | The Natural Science Collections at Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery | North | 2018 |
| Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, Newcastle upon Tyne | Shipbuilding, Maritime & Maritime Trade Archive Collections | North | 2006 |
| Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and Sunderland Museums & Heritage Service, Newcastle and Sunderland | Science and Technology Collections | North | 1997 |
| Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and Sunderland Museums & Heritage Service, Newcastle and Sunderland | Fine and Decorative Art Collections | North | 1998 |
| Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and Sunderland Museums & Heritage Service, Newcastle and Sunderland | Natural Sciences Collections | North | 1998 |
| Unilever Art, Archives & Records Management, Port Sunlight | The Archive of the United Africa Company | North | 2005 |
| University College London Culture, Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London | Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology Collection | London | 1998 |
| University of Birmingham Libraries, Special Collection, Birmingham | Mingana Collection of Middle Eastern Manuscripts | Midlands | 2005 |
| University of Cambridge Museums & Botanic Garden, Cambridge | Fitzwilliam Museum Collection | South East | 1997 |
| University of Cambridge Museums & Botanic Garden, Cambridge | Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology Collections | South East | 1997 |
| University of Cambridge Museums & Botanic Garden, Cambridge | Whipple Museum of the History of Science Collections | South East | 1997 |
| University of Cambridge Museums & Botanic Garden, Cambridge | Cambridge University Museum of Zoology Collection | South East | 1998 |
| University of Cambridge Museums & Botanic Garden, Cambridge | Sedgwick Museum Collection | South East | 1998 |
| University of Nottingham Libraries (Manuscripts & Special Collections), Nottingham | The Portland (London) Collection; Portland of Welbeck Collection and Newcastle of Clumber Papers | Midlands | 2005 |
| University of Nottingham Libraries (Manuscripts & Special Collections), Nottingham | DH Lawrence Collection | Midlands | 2008 |
| University of Reading (Special Collections), Reading | The Beckett Collection | South East | 2005 |
| University of Reading (Special Collections), Reading | Archive of British Publishing and Printing | South East | 2006 |
| University of Reading, Museum of English Rural Life, Reading | The Museum of English Rural Life Archive, Library and Object Collections | South East | 1997 |
| University of Bristol, Bristol | University of Bristol Theatre Collection | South West | 2019 |
| Weald and Downland Living Museum, Singleton, Chichester | Weald and Downland Living Museum Collection | South East | 1998 |
| Wellcome Trust, London | The Wellcome Library | London | 2005 |
| Westminster City Archives, City of Westminster | Art and Design Collection | London | 2005 |
| Whitworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester, Manchester | Whitworth Art Gallery Collection of Textiles and Wallpaper | North | 1997 |
| Whitworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester, Manchester | Whitworth Art Gallery Collection of Fine Art | North | 1998 |
| William Morris Gallery, London | William Morris and Morris & Co. collection | London | 2017 |
| Wiltshire Museum, Devizes | Wiltshire Museum Collections | South West | 1997 |
| York Museums Trust, York | York Museums Trust Collections | North | 1997 |