Supporting Guidance for Accreditation
Standard November 2018

Accreditation
Guidance

March 2019

Contents
Getting Started
Introduction ........................................ 3
How to apply: a step by step
guide for first time applicants ........... 4
Step 1 C heck if your museum iseligible for Accreditation ....... 6• What questions to expect.................... 6• Are you ready to complete youreligibility questionnaire?...................... 9• Submitting your eligibility
questionnaire.................................... 10• Assessment....................................... 10• Working Towards Accreditation......... 10• If you’re not eligible.......................... 10
Step 2 D ecide on the size andtype of your museum ........... 11• Independent museum indicators ...... 12• Local authority museum indicators ... 13• University museum indicators ........... 14• National museums ........................... 15• Nationally-styled museums ............... 15

Managing Collections
Guidance notes for Accreditation
Standard requirements 4-6
Managing Collections ...................... 42

Users and their Experiences
Guidance notes for Accreditation
Standard requirements 7-9
Users and their Experiences ............. 60

Next Steps
How your application is assessed ... 79• New applicants ................................ 79• Accreditation returns ........................ 79• Returns deadlines ............................. 79
The assessment process..................... 80
What types of assessment
are there?.......................................... 81
Who makes the award decision?..... 82
What are the possible decisions
that panels can make?...................... 82
How long does it take?..................... 85
Your award letter.............................. 85
How long does the award last?........ 85
Promoting your award...................... 86

Step 3 M ake your Accreditation
application ............................ 16

What to do if you’re experiencing
significant change............................. 86• Completing the application form....... 16• Multi-site services.............................. 16• National museum authorities............. 17• Evidence of approval......................... 17• Getting help...................................... 18

Financially-motivated disposals........ 87

Organisational Health
Guidance notes for Accreditation
Standard requirements 1-3
Organisational Health ...................... 202

Hosted museums .............................. 87
What to do if you no longer
wish to participate............................ 87
Terms and conditions........................ 88
Feedback and complaints................. 88
Freedom of information anddata protection................................. 89
Review................................................ 89

The Accreditation Scheme is the UK industry
standard for museums and galleries.
It helps everyone involved with a museum to do
the right things, helping people to access andengage with collections, and protect them for
future generations.
The Accreditation Scheme does this by making
sure museums manage their collections
properly, engage with visitors, and are governed
appropriately by encouraging all museums andgalleries to meet an agreed standard in:• How they’re run• How they manage their collections

Organisational Health

Introduction

Getting Started

Getting started

Users & Experiences

The guidance notes that follow will provide
practical information on how to complete theAccreditation form, whether you’re applying forthe first time or making an Accreditation return.
It will provide links to support and advice to help
you, and information on how we’ll assess yourmuseum against the Accreditation Standard.

Next Steps

The Accreditation Scheme is run for museums
and galleries of all sizes and types across the
UK. It is managed as a UK Partnership between
Arts Council England, the Welsh Government,
Museums Galleries Scotland and the Northern
Ireland Museums Council. Our sharedcommitment and UK reach gives Accreditation
greater impact and cohesion. The scheme has
led the way in raising museum standards in the
UK and has been used as a model and source ofinspiration for similar schemes overseas.

Managing Collections• How they engage with their users

3How to apply: a step by step guide forfirst time applicants

The Isle of Man andChannel Islands

See pages 6-10

Arts Council England

Eligibility questionnaires are reviewed
by Arts Council England in consultation
with Museum Development providers
in England, the Welsh Government,
Museums Galleries Scotland and Northern
Ireland Museums Council for museums
in each respective country.

https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supportingarts-museums-and-libraries/museumsaccreditation-scheme

You’ll need to complete the eligibility
questionnaire (available to downloadfrom the website of your assessingorganisation) and return it with therelevant documents to:https://www.nimc.co.uk/

Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Museums Council

Organisational Healthhttps://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supportingarts-museums-and-libraries/museumsaccreditation-scheme

Managing Collections

Step 1
Check if your museum is eligible
for Accreditation

Arts Council England

ScotlandMuseums Galleries Scotland
https://www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.
uk/

Wales
The Welsh Government
https://gov.wales/topics/culture-tourismsport/museums-archives-libraries/?lang=en

Users & Experiences

If you are a new applicant, you will need to:England

Next Steps

There are three steps to completing anapplication for Accreditation if your museum
is not already participating in the Scheme.

Getting Started

Getting started

4See pages 11 to 15 for guidance noteson size and type.

See pages 42 to 59 for guidance noteson the Accreditation Standard requirements
4-6 – Managing Collections.
See pages 60 to 78 for guidance noteson the Accreditation Standard requirements
7-9 – Users and their Experiences.
Complete the online application
form attaching all relevant required
documentation. The online application
portal is hosted by Arts Council Englandon behalf of the UK Accreditation
Partners and you’ll find links to the new
application form, guidance on how to
get started and technical advice on theArts Council website.

Organisational HealthSee pages 20 to 41 for guidance noteson the Accreditation Standard requirements
1-3 – Organisational Health.

Managing Collections

The Accreditation Scheme is run formuseums of all sizes and types: from thesmallest volunteer-run museums to national
museums, but it’s not ‘one size fits all’.
To ensure that we assess your applicationaccording to your museum’s size and type
you first need to compare your museum
against the size and type indicators.

Once you’ve decided on your size and type,
you’ll need to read the relevant notes foreach section of the standard, so that you
know what evidence you need to gather tomake your application for Accreditation.

Users & Experiences

Step 2
Decide on the size and typeof your museum

Step 3Make your application

Next Steps

If your museum has been confirmed in writing
as eligible to apply for Accreditation, you canthen move on to the rest of the Accreditation
Standard requirements:

Getting Started

Getting started5• Privately owned museums and historic houses• Commercial galleries• Science centres•	
Natural and archaeological sites, historicaland industrial buildings, sites, monuments
and heritage centres without associatedlong-term collections• Institutions displaying live specimens, forexample zoos and botanical gardens• Educational loan services• Venues for temporary exhibitions without
long-term collections on display• Record centres• Libraries and archives including sound,film and photographic archives• Virtual museums
Accreditation is awarded to individual museum
venues (a physical site/space/building) rather
than to collections or services.
To apply for the Scheme for the first timeor re-apply after a period of non-participation,
your organisation must meet the following
criteria:

Q2 Does it meet the agreed
definition of a museum?
‘Museums enable people to explore collections
for inspiration, learning and enjoyment. They
are institutions that collect, safeguard and makeaccessible artefacts and specimens, which theyhold in trust for society.’You’ll be asked to confirm that your museum
meets the Museums Association definition (1998).

Q3 Is the museum a physical site/
space/building which is open to the
public regularly?
You’ll be asked for the name and addressof your museum, opening hours and website(if you have one).

Q4 Are the public able to see
and engage with the museum’s
collections?
This section is for you to expand on youranswer to question two – to outline how
your organisation fulfils its public purpose.

Organisational Health

The following types of organisations will notnormally be considered eligible:

We will ask for the address and contact detailsof your organisation, so we’re able to contact
you regarding your application and to check themuseum is eligible to participate in the scheme
based on its location.

Managing Collections

To be eligible to apply to the Accreditation
Scheme you must be able to answer ‘yes’ toquestions 1-6.

Q1 Is the museum based in the UK,
Isle of Man or Channel Islands?

Users & Experiences

What questions to expect

Next Steps

Step 1 C heck if your museum is eligible
for Accreditation

Getting Started

Getting started

6

A museum needs to be governed by a legal
document which gives it appropriate powers
and which minimises the risk to the collections
long-term. This is known as its constitution or
governing document.

The governing document refers to a legal
document setting out an organisation’s aims
and, usually, how it is administered. It may be atrust deed, constitution, rules, memorandum andarticles of association, conveyance, will, Royal
Charter, scheme of the Charity Commission orother formal document.
Independent museums

The museum must be a long-term organisationthat exists to benefit the public and protect
its assets, including collections. There are five
constitutional requirements for your museums’
governing body:

The independent museums sector covers a
range of organisations with various governancearrangements, but all need to have a constitutionthat gives them the power to hold and/or own acollection and operate a museum.

1. Exists for public benefit

All will be regulated by one (or more) of thefollowing bodies:

2.	Can demonstrate its collections and assets
are appropriately protected3.	Has powers to operate a museum and holdcollections and assets. These powers must betransparent and should not include the ability
to distribute assets or profiles for private gain
4.	Is subject to statutory regulation or judicial
process in relation to its conduct
5.	Must be a permanent entity with along-term purpose
You’ll need to show that your constitution
meets these criteria. You’ll also need to indicate
whether your governing body operates themuseum directly or has contracted a legally
separate management organisation to do so.
What type of constitution does yourorganisation have?
Your museum must have an appropriate
and acceptable constitutional structure anddocumentation for its governing body. You’ll
need to send a copy of your approved governing
document with your completed questionnaire.

• Charity Commission•	Companies House (for a Charitable Company
Limited by Guarantee)• Financial Conduct Authority•	Office of the Regulator of Community
Interest Companies•	Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR)• Charity Commission for Northern Ireland
Independent museums can be set up in avariety of forms including a Trust, a Charitable
Incorporated Organisation – foundation andassociation (England and Wales), tier one and tiertwo (Scotland), or a Charitable Company Limited
by Guarantee.
Where a local authority has transferred its
museum provision to an independent entity,
the governing body will often be viewed as thegroup overseeing the independent entity. In
this instance copies of the agreements for thisarrangement will need to be provided. This might
include documents such as a management orservice level agreement, or a collections loan

Organisational HealthDefinition – governing document

Managing Collections

You’ll be asked for the name of your governing
body. The operating name and the constitutionalname of the museum may not be the same. The
name provided for the governing body should be
the same as that on the governing document.

Users & Experiences

It’s important to know what type your museumhas. You’ll be asked to select your governance type.

Next Steps

Q5 Does the museum have anappropriate constitution?

Getting Started

Getting started7•	England & Wales: Public Libraries andMuseums Act 1964; Local Government
Act 1972•	Scotland: Public Libraries Consolidation(Scotland) Act 1887•	Northern Ireland: The Museums andGalleries (Northern Ireland) Order 1998
Local authorities may also have powers tooperate museums through an appropriate
Local Authority Act.
Local authorities need to know the constitutionalarrangements for the museums they manage,
whether through the relevant Act, or where
museum provision has been granted through a
local Act, or where the authority acts as a soletrustee to a charitably constituted museum.
In the case of town, community (Wales) orparish councils the principal authority would
need to pass a resolution that delegates its
authority under the relevant Act. Whatever
the constitutional arrangements are for themuseums that a local authority manages, we willneed to see this. This might be given as a copyof the museum’s constitution, or reference tothe relevant Act of Parliament, Order, or Local
Authority Act.

Universities
Universities are deemed to have the power tooperate museums. The governing document
will typically be located within the relevant
committee terms of reference or the terms ofan endowment or bequest.
You’ll need to provide a copy of yourgoverning document.
We’ll look at management arrangements
separately as part of your main application.
For example, your management structure,delegations and lines of authority from thegoverning body (typically the university council
or university senate) that empowers thedelegated body to manage the museum.

Organisational Health

Local authorities are deemed to have the power
to operate museums through the relevant Act ofParliament or Order (Northern Ireland) listed:Managing Collections

Local authorities

There can be other hybrid governance forms inplace, for example where local authorities retain
ownership of museum buildings and collections
but outsource their management. Where a local
authority has outsourced the operation of themuseum to a third party for a set fee, and retains
sign off for policy decisions, the governing bodyremains the local authority. Sometimes thesearrangements can be more complex for example
where a legally separate managing organisationis responsible for some aspects of the museum,with freedom over strategic direction andbusiness planning, but not collections ownershipor development. So we can understand yourarrangements, you’ll need to provide copies ofany agreements between the local authority andthe managing organisation. This might include
documents such as a management or service
level agreement, or a collections loan agreement.

Users & Experiences

In some instances, the running of a museum
may not be the main purpose of an organisation,such as the City of London Police. In this case thegoverning body will need evidence a resolution
confirming that it has the powers to hold and/or own a collection and operate a museum forlong-term public benefit. You’ll need to provide
this with your governance documentation.

In some cases, museums may be charitably
constituted, and the local authority acts as
its sole trustee. In this case we would need tosee the legal agreement by the local authority
which empowers the charitable trust to run
the museum.

Next Steps

agreement. We’ll use these to make sure theright governance document has been provided.

Getting Started

Getting started

8

The requirement for nationally-styled museums
will be based on the relevant constitutional types
mentioned above.

Q6 Are you committed to making
a full application for Accreditation
within three years?
You’ll be asked to outline the timescale
and process you anticipate for making yourAccreditation application. You’ll need to think
about how you will plan your time to geteverything ready. Do familiarise yourself with
the Accreditation Standard and this guidance, so
you can find out what’s involved from the start.
You’ll need time to develop all the required
policies and plans and have the relevant signed
minutes in place, which can sometimes takelonger than anticipated. The best way to show
this is to provide us with a copy of your forward
or business plan.
If you don’t yet have a forward or businessplan, you’ll need to submit formal evidence of
how you plan to make your application. For
example, minutes from your governing body or
management committee where you’ve discussed
what you need to do for an Accreditation
application. You’ll be asked for your target date

If you’re unsure of the details of yourconstitution, consider using the quick reference
guide to museum constitutional requirements
as a handy checklist. This is published on theArts Council’s website. This may help identify
if you need to make any amendments to yourconstitution before applying for eligibility.
We can’t offer legal advice, but you may
wish to consult a suitably-qualified legal
adviser to take your specific circumstances
into account. We have published supporting
guidance on Museum Constitutional andGovernance Arrangements (written by Dawn
Langley, Alchemy Research and Consultancy
commissioned by Arts Council England on
behalf of the UK Accreditation Partnership,
November 2018). This is available from yourMuseum Development provider, Accreditation
Adviser or assessing organisation. You can findother governance resources signposted here:
Association of Independent Museums
https://www.aim-museums.co.uk/
Collections Trust
https://collectionstrust.org.uk/accreditation/

Organisational HealthNationally-styled museums

If your organisation doesn’t yet meet therequirements for questions three and four,for example if your museum is not yet open
or you’re in the process of changing yourgoverning document, you’ll need to take advice
from your local Museum Development provider
or your Accreditation Adviser. See the contacts
on pages 18-19.

Managing Collections

For national museums please provide a copyof your constitution.

Are you ready to complete youreligibility questionnaire?

Users & Experiences

National museums are governed by national
legislation and directly receive central or devolved
Government funding. They are usually governedby an Act of Parliament or Royal Charter andconstituted as charities. The regulatory body may
be the Parliament from which the Act originated,
whether UK Parliament or devolved, rather thanthe Charities Commission or the Office of theScottish Charity Regulator.

for making an application. You may wish to
discuss a target date with your local Museum
Development provider or Accreditation Adviser.
If eligibility is confirmed, you’ll have up to three
years to provide an application, so you can berealistic about how long you’ll need.

Next Steps

National museums

Getting Started

Getting started

9

These can be included as separate attachments
or provided as a web link. You send these to yourAccreditation assessing organisation by email(see page 4). Remember to sign your eligibility
questionnaire too.

Assessment
At this stage you’ll have outlined your timescale
for making an application for Accreditation.
Completing the eligibility questionnaire isn’t anapplication for Accredited status. It means yourmuseum is requesting confirmation that you are
eligible to apply.
From the information you’ve provided we’ll decide
whether your museum is eligible for Accreditationand if the museum can be confirmed as Working
Towards Accreditation. If any additional informationis needed, the reviewer will get in touch with you.
You’ll normally be informed of the outcome of theeligibility review within six weeks. If your review
takes longer, we’ll contact you. The outcome letteror email will include information on next steps.
If your museum uses or proposes to use anationally-styled name, we’ll usually want toarrange a site visit to talk about whether thismatches up with public expectations of a national
museum and is appropriate. This means youreligibility review may take longer than usual.

Working Towards Accreditation
If your museum is eligible for Accreditation:
1.	You’ll be confirmed as Working Towards
Accreditation which is valid for three years

Arts Council England publishes the names ofmuseums considered to be Working Towards
Accreditation on their website.
Your Working Towards Accreditation status
only lasts for three years. If you don’t make an
Accreditation application within this time, we will
have to re-assess your status.
Keep in touch with your Museum Development
provider or Accreditation Adviser if you feelyou’re unable to complete your application intime or if you need additional support.
You may need to reapply for eligibility again if
your governing body changes during the threeyear Working Towards Accreditation period.
Ensuring that you’ve developed all the required
policies and plans and have the relevant signed
minutes in place to make your first application
can sometimes take longer than you anticipate.
There’s lots of guidance, training, resources andsupport available to you. See pages 18-19 for
information on sources of advice and help to
support your application for Accreditation. If you
don’t employ a paid museum professional andneed support from an Accreditation Mentor, it’sa good idea to look at this area early on.

Organisational Health•	A copy of your forward or business plan oralternative documents (such as a letter fromtrustees etc) demonstrating your commitment
to making a full application for Accreditation
within three years

3.	You may be asked for an annual update on
your progress towards a full Accreditation
application, including any changes to policies,
plans and/or target date.

Managing Collections•	A copy of your museum’s current governing
documents

2.	You’ll be given a reference number to use on
all communications with us. This number will
begin with a ‘T’.

Users & Experiences

You need to submit the following documents
along with the eligibility questionnaire:from the date of your confirmation letter.

If you’re not eligible
If we decide you’re ineligible for Accreditation,
we’ll let you know why so you can understandwhat’s needed and decide whether Accreditationis still for you. Our quick reference guide tomuseums constitutional requirements is a handy
checklist if you’re considering any changes to
respond to eligibility feedback.

Next Steps

Submitting your eligibility questionnaire

Getting Started

Getting started

10University museums – types 1-3
National museums
Nationally-styled museums
All museums
There are some elements in the standard thatare applicable to all museums.

Your museum doesn’t need to meet each andevery indicator on the scale; you may find you
sit between two types. Simply use your best
judgement to decide which set of indicators
most closely matches your museum.
Your assessor will use the size and typeindicators to guide their assessment of yourmuseum. If we think another indicator is more
appropriate we’ll discuss this with you as part of
the assessment and come to an agreement on
which one to use as the basis for assessment.

Organisational Health

Local authority museums – types 1-3

The indicators take into account the funding,visitor numbers, and services of different typesof museums operating within the UK. They don’t
cover all aspects of what a museum does (forexample, collection size has not been used).

Managing Collections

Independent museums – types 1-3

Use the indicators in the following tables todecide on your museum’s size and type. This
ensures that we can assess your application
proportionately.

Users & Experiences

In the guidance notes that follow we’vecolour coded the size and type of museums
so that you know what evidence you’ll needto provide for your museum.

Next Steps

Step 2 D ecide on the size and type of yourmuseumGetting Started

Getting started

11

Workforce

operated entirely,or mostly, by
volunteers, usually
supported byan Accreditation
Mentormostly volunteer
workforce, withsome paid staff,
may be supported byan Accreditation Mentor

paid senior
manager/s, paid
and voluntary
workforce

Management

managed directly by thetrustees or through adelegated management
committee

managed directly by thetrustees or through adelegated management
committee

managed by a paid
director/manager
reporting to thetrustees or delegatedcommittee

Operatingbudgetless than £30,000
per year£30,000-£250,000
per yearover £250,000
per year

Openingseasonal or weekend/
special event opening
or appointment only
where appropriate(for example, prisonor ‘behind the wire’
military museum)seasonal, or open
all year

open all year, orseasonal opening

Learning
offer

relevant lectures/talks, learning groups
welcomed on site

formal learning
offer, subject
specialist lectures/talks/events offeredformal learning
offer to multiple
educational anduser groups, regularsubject specialist
lectures/talks/events

Visitornumbers

up to 10,000 site
visits per year

up to 49,999 site
visits per year

over 50,000
site visits per year

Organisational HealthType three

Managing Collections

Type two

Users & Experiences

Type one

Next Steps

Independent museums indicators

Getting Started

Getting started

12

Workforce

paid professional
curator/manager or
equivalent, volunteer
workforce

paid professional
curator/ manager or
equivalent, volunteer
workforce

paid senior managers,
professional managers
including curators,
learning expertsSite

a single site or oneof several branch
museums within aservicea single site or oneof several branch
museums within aservicea single site or oneof several branch
museums within aservice

Management

managed by a paid
museum professional

managed by a paid
museum professional

managed by a paid
museum professional

Operatingbudgetless than £100,000
per year£100,000-£500,000
per yearover £500,000
per year

Openingseasonal and/or
weekend/special event
openingseasonal, or open
all yearseasonal, or open
all year

Learning
offer

formal learning offer,subject specialist
lectures/talks offeredformal learning
offer to multiple
educational and usergroups, regular subject
specialist lectures/talks

formal learning
offer to multiple
educational and usergroups, regular subject
specialist lectures/talks

Visitornumbers

up to 30,000 site visits
per yearup to 99,999 site
visits per year

over 100,000 site
visits per year

Organisational HealthType three

Managing Collections

Type two

Users & Experiences

Type one

Next Steps

Local authority museums indicators

Getting Started

Getting started

13

Workforce

operated entirely, or
mostly by volunteers.
Usually supported by an
Accreditation Mentor

paid and voluntary
workforce, may besupported by an
Accreditation
Mentorpaid seniorprofessional
manager/s, paid
and voluntary
workforce

Management

managed by adelegated management
committee ordepartment andoverseen by a memberof the teaching staff

managed bya delegatedmanagement
committee ordepartment andoverseen by a memberof the teaching staff

managed by adelegated management
committee ordepartment andoverseen by a memberof the teaching staff

Operatingbudgetless than £30,000
per year£30,000-£250,000
per yearover £250,000
per year

Openingseasonal and/or
weekend/special
event opening/
appointment only

seasonal, or open
all yearseasonal, or open
all year

Learning
offer

formal learning offer
within university,
regular subject specialist
lectures/talks external
to the university

formal learning offer
within university, offer
to other educational
and user groups inaddition to university
users, regular specialist
lectures/talks andpublications

formal learning offer
within university andto multiple educational
and user social groups
in addition to university
users, regular specialist
lectures/talks andpublications

Visitornumbers

up to 10,000 site
visits per year

up to 49,999 site
visits per year

over 50,000 site
visits per year

Organisational HealthType three

Managing Collections

Type two

Users & Experiences

Type one

Next Steps

University museums indicators

Getting Started

Getting started

14

You offer visitor facilities deemed
appropriate to a national organisation,
holding and acquiring a collection ofnational and international significance, andprovide excellent engagement opportunities
through exhibitions, displays, learningand research opportunities. You are also
expected to provide expertise regarding yourspecific subject matter to other museums,
galleries and collections.

When we refer to a nationally-styled
museum, we mean one that is not funded
directly by a department of government,
whether UK or devolved and is not set up
by primary legislation. This type of museum
claims nationally significant reach andmeaning and uses one of the nationallystyled names.

National museums must complete additionalquestions. These open up on the online
application and returns form if you selectyour museum type as ‘national’.

Nationally-styled names include thefollowing, or equivalent, words:
International, World, Nation, National,
Europe, European, Commonwealth, Empire,
United Kingdom, Great Britain, British,
England, English, Wales, Welsh, Cymru,
Cymreig, Scotland, Scottish,na h-Alba, Ulster, Northern Ireland,and Northern Irish.
Nationally-styled museums may be
independent, local authority or university
run so it doesn’t relate to a specificgovernance type. In every other way
they should provide comparable
facilities, collections and services tonational museums.
Nationally-styled museums must complete
additional questions. These open up on
the online application and returns form if
you select ‘yes’ when asked whether yourmuseum has a nationally-styled name.

Organisational HealthThe public have expectations of museums
with a national name, in terms of their scale,scope and public offer.

Managing Collections

A UK national museum is governed bynational legislation and directly receives
central or devolved Government funding.

Users & Experiences

Nationally-styled
museums
Nationally-styled
museums

Next Steps

National museums

Getting Started

Getting started15•	Familiarise yourself with what evidence you’ll
need to provide to meet the Standard•	Take advice/seek help where you feel you
need additional support•	Check that your policies, plans and procedures
are up to date•	If you need an Accreditation Mentor contact
your Accreditation assessing organisation,
Museum Development provider or
Accreditation Adviser•	Allow time for amendment to policies andformal approval by your governing bodyYou’ll be asked to make your Accreditation
application through our online system. We’ll
include further information on how to access thisin your eligibility confirmation letter or invitation
to make a return.
We will only accept applications by hard copy
or email in exceptional circumstances andwhere agreed in advance with your relevant
assessing organisation. If you wish to provide anapplication or return in Welsh, please contact the
Welsh Government in advance.

Completing the application form
At the start of the form you’ll need to provide
contact details for your organisation along withthe selected size and type for your organisation.
We’ll ask for contact details for a senior
representative as well as a named person as ourprimary contact during the assessment process.
You’ll need to include your eligibility reference
number (‘T’ number) if you’re making your first
application, or your Accreditation number if
you’re making a return.

Organisational Health•	Talk to your Accreditation Mentor if you haveone and don’t forget help is available fromyour Accreditation assessing organisation,
Museum Development provider or
Accreditation AdviserYour submission will need to be signed
electronically by a member of the governing
body or by an individual authorised to sign
on behalf of the governing body.

Multi-site services
We award Accreditation to venues notservices. If you belong to a group of museums
operated by a corporate body, such as alocal authority service, then we’ll ask eachindividual branch museum to apply, or
provide a return, separately. Where you share
documents with other museums in the group,
we’ll only need the lead museum applying to
upload these. All other museums can then justcross-reference this in their applications where
you’re asked to upload a document again. If
you’re submitting a return, we’ll ask you toreport any progress against both the actions
we’ve outlined for the group of museums,
and for your museum specifically.

Users & Experiences•	Don’t go it alone! Involve the team where you
can throughout your planning

You can download a copy of the applicationquestions to help you prepare from the websiteof your assessing organisation.

Next Steps

Read this guidance and familiarise yourself
with what evidence you’ll need to provide tomeet the different requirements of Accreditation.
We’ve come up with a list of suggested steps
you might find helpful when making anapplication or return:

Managing Collections

Step 3 M ake your Accreditation
application

Getting Started

Getting started

16

On the Accreditation application form we’ll ask
you to provide evidence on how you meet eachof the nine elements of the standard. In somecases, we’ll simply need a confirmation that you
have the relevant policies and practices in place.
In others we’ll ask you to upload specific key
documents, for example your forward/businessplan or the collections development policy of
your museum.
Where we’ve asked you to do this, you’ll needto provide evidence of approval from yourgoverning body, or the relevant delegated subcommittee, signed by the authorised individual,
for example your Chair or Cabinet member.
Appropriate evidence may take several forms
depending on your organisation:•	A signed copy of a full set of minutes(signed minute)•	A signed statement from the appropriate
individual which states that the plan, policy etc
has been approved by the governing body
By ‘signed’ we mean:•	An actual signature from the appropriate
individual on a paper document•	A photocopy or scan of a document on which
an actual signature exists•	An identifiable email from the appropriate
individual with unsigned minutes attached thatstates that those minutes, redacted minutes,
or extract from the minutes were approved ona particular date•	An identifiable email from theappropriate individual

Organisational Health

Evidence of approval•	A signed but unpublished decision document(typically local authorities and universities)

Managing Collections

If you’re applying on behalf of a national
museum authority such as English Heritage,
National Trust or Historic Environment Scotland,
you’ll be taken through a tailored two-stage
assessment. We’ll first ask you to provide a
central return covering those elements which
are managed service-wide such as corporate
policies and plans. If you’re at an individual
property, we’ll then ask you to provide a
simplified version of your application or return
covering the site-specific detail. Your own
organisation can provide more information
about this.

•	A published (internet) decision document(typically local authorities) – these might not
actually be signed but publication is deemed
evidence of approval

Users & Experiences

National museum authorities

Getting Started

Getting started•	A signed copy of an extract from the minutesthat includes date of the meeting, item
number and full discussion of that item, minus
any redactions (signed minute)

Next Steps•	A signed copy of a redacted set of minutes(signed minute)17

Arts Council Englandhttps://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supporting-artsmuseums-and-libraries/museums-accreditationscheme
Email: accreditation@artscouncil.org.uk
For Accreditation advice for non-national
museums contact your regional Museum
Development provider
https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/museumdevelopment-programme/museumdevelopment-providers

Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Museums Council
https://www.nimc.co.uk/
Email: devofficer@nimc.co.uk
ScotlandMuseums Galleries Scotland
https://www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk
Email:
accreditation@museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk

See regional websites for your individualMuseum Development provider

Wales
The Welsh Government
https://gov.wales/topics/culture-tourism-sport/
museums-archives-libraries/?lang=en

The Isle of Man and Channel Islands
Arts Council Englandhttps://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supporting-artsmuseums-and-libraries/museums-accreditationscheme

Email: MALD@gov.wales

For Accreditation advice contact theMuseums Accreditation Manager
Email: accreditation@artscouncil.org.uk

Organisational Health

EnglandManaging Collections

There’s advice and support available to help you complete an application or a return. Each assessingorganisation provides an advice team covering their geographic area. You can get further details from:

Users & Experiences

Who to contact

Next Steps

Getting help

Getting Started

Getting started

18

For Accreditation advice for national museums
contact the Museums Accreditation Manager
Email: accreditation@artscouncil.org.uk•	Collections Trust https://collectionstrust.org.
uk/accreditation

Accreditation Mentors
If you have an Accreditation Mentor (previously
known as a Museum Mentor) to support you,contact them when you’re considering making
an Accreditation application or return. Their role
is to give advice or signpost where to find help
and guidance when you’re first Working Towards
Accreditation or developing a new applicationand your subsequent returns.
Accreditation Mentors provide support forsmaller museums without access to paid
professional advice. See requirement 1.3 foran explanation of what this means. Museums
are responsible for finding their own mentor
but your Accreditation assessing organisation,
Museum Development provider or Accreditation
Adviser can give you more information about
how to go about this and what’s involved.

•	Association of Independent Museums (AIM)https://www.aim-museums.co.uk

Your assessing organisation or Museum
Development provider also have a range of
supporting resources.
Access support
We can provide access support for people
with access needs. Please contact your assessingorganisation if you experience or expect any
barrier with making your application or returnor would like more information.

Organisational Health

You can also find a range of approved
resources to support your application from:Managing Collections

Arts Council Englandhttps://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supporting-artsmuseums-and-libraries/museums-accreditationscheme

Users & Experiences

Accreditation approved resources

Next Steps

UK national museums

Getting Started

Getting started

19

1.	Have appropriate governanceand management

2.	Plan ahead and have the resources todeliver your plan

3.	Assess and manage risk toyour organisation

1H
 ave appropriate governance andmanagement
To meet the standard, you’ll need to provide evidence that you have each of the following:

1.1 A clear statement of purpose

1. H ave appropriate governanceand management

1.2 An appropriate constitution

1.3	A satisfactory structure for yourgovernance and management

Next Steps

Organisational HealthOrganisational Healthyou ensure you have the resources to deliver
your plan, and how you assess and manage
risk in your organisation.

Managing Collections

The first three requirements of the Accreditation
Standard look at how you run your museum, yourgovernance and management. You’ll need toprovide evidence of how you plan ahead, howUsers & Experiences

Guidance notes for Accreditation Standard
requirements 1-3, Organisational Health

Getting Started

Organisational Health20

What evidence is needed?

1.1 A clear statementof purpose

The statement of purpose defines
why the museum exists and who
it’s for.

This is typically located inyour governing document
and would be expected toappear in key policy andplanning documents.

It underpins all decision making
and activity and should be clearlycommunicated and understood
throughout your organisation andby your stakeholders and users.

You’ll need to tell us where
the statement of purpose iswithin your key documents– governing document,
forward or business plan,and collections development
policy.

Independent museums – types 1-3
Charities and Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs) are guided by a constitution which
will include their statement of purpose (known as the ‘object’ or ‘objects’). This may have been
written some time ago and may have been re-written as a mission statement for use in policy andplanning documents. This is typically due to changes in emphasis and use of language.
Where the charitable object/statement of purpose has been re-written in this way the meaning
should not be changed.

Local authority museums – types 1-3
There may be several different statements of purpose, at different levels within the local authority.
There may well be up to three levels. Where this applies please provide copies of all the relevant
documents:•

A statement of purpose guiding the Council’s cultural strategy (or equivalent)•	A statement of purpose drawn from the cultural strategy (or equivalent) guiding themuseum service planning document

Organisational Health

Why is this important?

Managing Collections

To meet the standard,
you’ll need

Users & Experiences

All museums

Next Steps

1.1 A clear statement of purpose

Getting Started

Organisational Health•	A statement of purpose for the individual museum supporting the museum service’s
over-arching statement of purpose

21

Nationally-styled museums
This will relate to your appropriate governance type.

What we’re looking for•	We’ll look at the documents you submit with your application to check that the statementof purpose is clearly carried through from your governing document to key plans and policy
documents, such as the forward/business plan and the collections development policy•	Where a ‘simple’ statement of purpose has been developed from a more complex statement,
we’ll look to see that the core purpose has been retained• If the statement of purpose is supported by a more detailed or focused subsidiary statement or
mission, we’ll look to see how the core purpose has been maintained

Organisational HealthNational museums are typically governed by an Act of Parliament or Royal Charter and constituted
as charities guided by a constitution which will include their statement of purpose (known as the‘object’ or ‘objects’).

Managing Collections

National museums

Users & Experiences

The statement of purpose will typically be located within the relevant committee terms ofreference or the terms of an endowment or bequest.

Next Steps

University museums – types 1-3

Getting Started

Organisational Health22What evidence is needed?

Museums are long-term
organisations that exist to
benefit the public andprotect their assets,
including collections.

This refers to your governing
document. This is a legal
document that sets out anorganisation’s aims and, usually,
how it is administered.

Constitutions are important
to museums because they
are legal documents which
set out the organisation’s
intentions towards long-term
public benefit and protection
for collections.

We’ll need to see thisdocument(s) if it’s your first
application or if it’s changed
since your last return. You’ll
need to provide us with a copyof the latest approved version.
If your governing document
hasn’t changed since your last
submission we won’t need tosee it again.

Your governing document
must enable you to do this.

Your museum’s current governing
documents need to cover thefollowing constitutional criteria:
1. Exists for public benefit
2. Can demonstrate its collections
and assets are appropriately
protected
3. Has powers to operate a
museum and hold collections
and assets. These powers mustbe transparent and should notinclude the ability to distributeassets or profit for private gain
4. Is subject to statutory
regulation or judicial process
in relation to its conduct
5. M
 ust be a permanent entitywith a long-term purpose

Organisational Health

1.2 An appropriate
constitution

Why is this important?

Managing Collections

To meet the standard,
you’ll need

Users & Experiences

All museums

Next Steps

1.2 An appropriate constitution

Getting Started

Organisational Health23

For more information on constitutionalarrangements, see Museum Constitutional andGovernance Arrangements (written by Dawn
Langley, Alchemy Research and Consultancy
commissioned by Arts Council England on behalfof the UK Accreditation Partnership, November2018). This is available from your Museum
Development provider, Accreditation Adviser orassessing organisation.

Getting Started

Organisational Health

Where registration isn’t possible, the museum should evidence charitable recognition from
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) https://www.gov.uk/charity-recognition-hmrc

Local authority museums – types 1-3
Local authority museums are deemed to have the power to operate museums through the relevant
Act of Parliament or Order (Northern Ireland):•England & Wales: Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964; Local Government Act 1972•

Scotland: Public Libraries Consolidation (Scotland) Act 1887•

Northern Ireland: The Museums and Galleries (Northern Ireland) Order 1998

Local authority museums may be the principal authority or a town, community (Wales) or parish
council where authority has been delegated. Local authorities may also have powers to operatemuseums through an appropriate Local Authority Act.
Whether your constitutional arrangements are directly managed or contracted you’ll need to attach
your museum’s current governing documents. This might be given as a copy of the museum’s
constitution, or reference to the relevant Act of Parliament, Order, or Local Authority Act. In somecases, museums may be charitably constituted, and the local authority acts as its sole trustee.
In this case we would need to see the legal agreement by the local authority which empowers
the charitable trust to run the museum.
So we can clearly understand any contracted arrangements, you’ll need to provide copies ofany agreements between the local authority and the managing organisation. This might include
documents such as a management or service level agreement, or a collections loan agreement.

Managing Collections

You’ll need to provide a copy of your governing document.

Users & Experiences

The constitution should give the power to hold and/or own a collection and to operate a
museum within either its primary objectives or a subordinate clause. If you’re a registered/
recognised charity, you’ll also have to be registered with the relevant regulatory authority(Charity Commission, Office of the Scottish Regulator).

Next Steps

Charities and CIOs are guided by a constitution. This is your governing document - a legal
document that sets out an organisation’s aims and, usually, how it is administered.

Organisational HealthIndependent museums – types 1-3

24

University museums – types 1-3
Universities are deemed to have the power to operate museums where eligibility criteria are met.
The governing document will typically be located within the relevant committee terms of referenceor the terms of an endowment or bequest.

Getting Started

Organisational HealthNational museums are typically governed by an Act of Parliament or Royal Charter and constituted
as charities guided by a constitution which will include their statement of purpose, known as the‘object’ or ‘objects’.
The regulatory body may be the Parliament from which the Act originated, whether UK Parliament or
devolved, rather than the Charities Commission or the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR).
You’ll need to provide a copy of your governing document.
Nationally-styled museums
Your governing document will relate to your appropriate governance type.

Managing Collections

National museums

Organisational HealthYou’ll need to provide a copy of your governing document.

•	We’ll check that the governing document is the latest approved version•	We’ll check that the information you’ve provided matches that held by the relevant
regulatory bodies• We’ll check that the name of the organisation is consistent with your governing body.
•	We’ll look at whether or not there are any linked or subsidiary organisations(for example a collections holding trust)Users & Experiences

What we’re looking for• We’ll check if your governance arrangements are clear•	We’ll look at what opportunities for public access and engagement you provide withyour assets and collection/s•	We’ll check if your constitution gives you the powers to hold assets and collection/s•	We’ll look at whether or not your assets and collection/s are suitably protected and only
utilised for public benefit

Next Steps• We’ll check if your constitution gives you the powers to operate a museum•	We’ll check if you have a governing body constituted under your governing documents•	We’ll check your constitution shows you have a long-term purpose

25

What evidence is needed?

There needs to be a
management structure
in place outlining
appropriate authorities,
roles and responsibilities
to allow formal
decision making andaccountability.

You’ll need to describe yourmanagement arrangements.

Your museum needs anappropriate workforce
to run it effectively andmust have effective
employment policies,
plans, procedures androles in place to meet its
responsibilities.

You’ll need to confirm who has theauthority and responsibility to approve
decisions and provide supporting
documents for this.
You’ll need to confirm who has theauthority to approve museum policies
and plans.
If a separate organisation runs themuseum, we’ll need to see any
approved agreements between thatorganisation and the governing body.
You’ll need to tell us how you accessadvice from museum professionals forpolicy development and decision making.
If you have an Accreditation Mentor
you’ll need to provide the signed
mentor agreement, a signed minuteconfirming the appointment and amentor report.
You’ll need to confirm arrangements
you have in place for recruitment,
induction, identifying training needs,
training, learning and development
and succession planning.
You’ll need to provide a copy of yourorganisation or workforce chart.
You’ll need to provide a copy ofyour written volunteer agreement orequivalent document outlining specificroles and responsibilities.

Organisational Health

1.3 A satisfactory
structure for yourgovernance andmanagement

Why is this important?

Managing Collections

To meet the standard,
you’ll need

Users & Experiences

All museums

Next Steps

1.3 A satisfactory structure for yourgovernance and management

Getting Started

Organisational Health26

Independent museums – types 1-3
Where the governing body has set up a managing committee to manage the museum or thisis managed by a legally separate organisation, we’ll need to see clear and agreed terms ofreference and responsibility from the governing body.
The expectation for type 1 independent museums is that they are operated entirely, or mostly,
by volunteers; usually supported by an Accreditation Mentor. There is also likely to be a mixtureof paid and volunteer staff for type 2 so an Accreditation Mentor may also be appropriate.
For a type 3 the expectation is that the museum would employ a paid museum professional.
We’ll look to see how your governing body engages with your Accreditation Mentor.

Local authority museums – types 1-3
The line of authority will depend on whether a cabinet or council model is in operation.
We’ll look at how the line of authority and approvals link from the governing body (Council) to
museum activities. This will usually be covered within the Council’s terms of reference and itsdelegation scheme.
A paid museum professional must be present. Where a service manages a number of sites it’s
not expected that each individual museum has its own dedicated staff so long as all have accessto museum professional staff and this is appropriate to size and scale.

Organisational Health

We expect the Accreditation Mentor toattend at least one meeting of the governing
body a year and visit the museum at least
once a year. We’ll ask for an Accreditation
Mentor report to accompany your application
or return. This can be uploaded to theonline form or provided separately to yourAccreditation assessing organisation.

Managing Collections•	
At least three years working in museums,
with experience at curatorial/managerial
level. This experience can be across any of
the three areas within the standard:organisational health, managing collections,or users and their experiences

Museum professionals (including Accreditation
Mentors) can serve on a museum’s governing
body as a voting member.

Users & Experiences

A museum professional is defined within
Accreditation as having:•	
A commitment to personal learning anddevelopment to show how they’re keeping
their knowledge, skills and experience up
to dateNext Steps

We’ll want to see that the experience of themuseum professional is appropriate to yoursize and type, and that there’s a clear lineof communication between the museum
professional and your governing body. The levelof advice in place should be appropriate to
the size, scope, vulnerability and value of yourmuseum and collections. For smaller museums,
without paid professional staff, this can be met
by appointing an Accreditation Mentor.

Getting Started

Organisational Health27

Nationally-styled museums
This will relate to your appropriate governance type.
You’ll need to confirm that you employ multiple museum professionals, covering a range ofcore activities.
You’ll need to tell us what staffing arrangements are in place to support research at your museum.
You’ll need to explain how your professional staff provide expert advice to other museums,
galleries and collections. This could be through Accreditation mentoring but there’s a range ofother ways to demonstrate how you deliver sector support.

Organisational HealthNational museums

Managing Collections

Where the museum is managed by university staff as part of their teaching role the expectationis that their responsibilities to the museum will be clearly covered within their job description.

Users & Experiences

The overall governing body will typically be the university council or senate and we’ll look fora clear line of authority from the governing body to museum activities. Universities may have a
specific managing committee where we’ll look to see that delegated authority is in place
for approvals.

Next Steps

University museums – types 1-3

Getting Started

Organisational Health28•	We’ll check that your governing body has access to museum professional advice for policy
making, appropriate to your size and type•	We’ll check that your organisational structure is coherent, up to date and appropriate to thesize and scale of your museum•	We’ll look at whether there are sufficient roles present in your workforce to deliver yourforward/business plan effectively, appropriate to your size and type•	We’ll look at the number of frozen/vacant posts and see what plans you have to re-appoint or
mitigate the effect of these vacancies•	We’ll check that you have appropriate strategies and procedures in place for recruitment,
induction, identifying training needs, training, learning and development and succession
planning for your governing body, paid staff and volunteers•	If you have an Accreditation Mentor, we’ll check that you’ve formally appointed them and will
want to know how you work together so you have access to professional advice and can use
this to help inform your decision making•	If applicable, we’ll ask for an Accreditation Mentor report to accompany your application
or return

Organisational Health•	If a legally separate managing organisation manages the museum, we’ll ask to see yourapproved agreement, for example a Service Level Agreement. This needs to show who is
responsible for what functions and who pays for what, as well as where any monies generated
are directed. Who has ownership of the collection, as well as ownership of collected items,
must be clear

Managing Collections•	We’ll look at who, or which group, has the authority and responsibility for approving policy
documents. This might include decisions you delegate to sub-committees, staff or volunteers

Users & Experiences•	We’ll look for clear evidence of delegated authority with approved terms of reference for all
managing committees and sub-committees

Next Steps

What we’re looking for

Getting Started

Organisational Health29

2.1 An approved forward or businessplan which covers the current andsubsequent planning year
All museums
To meet the standard,
you’ll need
2.1 An approved
forward or businessplan which covers thecurrent and subsequent
planning year

Why is this important?

What evidence is needed?

Museums should plan
effectively for the long-termand be able to adapt in achanging environment.

Forward or business plans comein all shapes and formats. Your
plan should be appropriate to thesize of your museum, the context,
scale and ambitions of youroperations.

Your forward or businessplan sets out the key aims
and objectives for yourorganisation and how they
will be delivered over a
specific time and to a
specific budget.
We ask to see it so that
we can understand how
your organisation plans forthe future.

There is no standard templatefor forward or business planning.
While we’ll need to see certain
elements, it is your document.
If you use other elements in yourplanning, please include them.
We don’t expect you to produce
a plan purely for Accreditation
purposes.

Organisational Health

2.2 Financial sustainability

Managing Collections

2. Plan ahead and have theresources to deliver your plan

2.1 A
 n approved forward or businessplan which covers the current andsubsequent planning year

Users & Experiences

To meet the standard, you’ll need to provide evidence that you have each of the following:

Next Steps

2 Plan ahead and have the resources
to deliver your plan

Getting Started

Organisational Health30

Your forward/business plan should
be approved by your governing
body and should include:• Statement of purpose• The period the plan covers• The key aims you want toachieve over the plan’s duration• How you’ll achieve these aims
• What you’ll need to achievethese aims, including people,
equipment and money• Budgets for the current andsubsequent planning year
• A review date
You’ll need to provide a copyof your forward/business planand signed approval from yourgoverning body.
Your statement of purpose andkey aims must be approved by
the governing body or by those
approved to take delegateddecisions (see section 1.3).
It’s likely that your specificobjectives and budgets maychange within a year, and so we
don’t need these elements to beformally approved.

Organisational Health

What evidence is needed?

Managing Collections

2.1 An approved
forward or businessplan which covers thecurrent and subsequent
planning year

Why is this important?

Users & Experiences

To meet the standard,
you’ll need

Next StepsAll museums

Getting Started

Organisational Health31Within local authority structures, multiple plans and planning cycles might well exist. It’s typicalfor a cultural strategy or similar to provide the context for planning.
If you have a broader service or division plan, we’d need to see individual site plans, or be able
to distinguish your activity within any larger plans. We’ll want to see all levels of the plan, alongwith appropriate approvals, as part of your application or return.

University museums – types 1-3
University museums might work within multiple plans and planning cycles. Often a university
strategy or similar provides the context for planning.
The school or department may also then respond to this with their own plan.
Whatever the context, we would expect to see a museum plan tying into the most closely
related university strategy or plan. We’ll want to see all levels of the plan, along with appropriate
approvals, as part of your application or return.

National museums
Nationally-styled museums

Organisational Health

Local authority museums – types 1-3

Managing Collections

Smaller organisations will not be expected to provide similar scale forward or business plans tothose provided by much larger institutions, but the elements described on the previous page should
be in place.

Users & Experiences

Independent museums – types 1-3

Getting Started

Organisational HealthWe’ll check that you have a review mechanism in place for your plan and how you’re monitoring
your performance and using this information to improve services.
You’ll need to show where your plan demonstrates national aspiration and delivery.

Next Steps

We’ll expect to see formal consultation processes with internal and external stakeholders inplace for your forward or business plan.

32

What we’re looking for•	We’ll check that the statement of purpose is consistent with your governing document•	We’ll look at the elements of the forward or business plan to see that there’s appropriate
detail for the size and type of your museum

Getting Started

Organisational Health•	We’ll look to see that the forward or business plan covers at least the current and subsequent
planning year (led by the museum’s own financial and planning cycles)

Managing Collections•	We’ll want to see a clear process for approval of your plan is in place (appropriate togovernance type) and accompanying evidence of approval

Users & Experiences•	We’ll check that the plan links effectively to associated strategies, plans and policies

Next Steps•	We’ll check that there is action and resource planning to achieve your objectives

Organisational Health•	We’ll check there is a clear link between aims, objectives and resources33

To meet the standard,
you’ll needWhy is this important?

What evidence is needed?

2.2 Financial
sustainability

Museums must be resilientand sustainable to survive.

You’ll need to provide copies
of accounts for the last twoavailable financial planning years.
These should show final income
and expenditure for the previous
two years for your museum
operation (or a web link topublished accounts).

You must be able todemonstrate that yourmuseum is financiallysustainable, and that you
have the financial resources
to deliver your forward/
business plan.
This shows us that you are along-term organisation andconfirms that you are notunethically selling collections
or using them as collateral.

Income and expenditure must
be clear, regardless of the sizeof the budget.

Organisational HealthAll museums

Managing Collections

2.2 Financial sustainability

Getting Started

Organisational HealthWe’ll need the last two years of audited accounts as required by appropriate Regulator, such as theCharity Commission/Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
Where your museum’s operating budget is below the charity regulator’s reporting thresholds
your accounts don’t need to be audited but you’ll need to show that you’re meeting charity
reporting requirements and/or keeping accounting records.

Users & Experiences

Independent museums – types 1-3

We’ll need the last two years actual final income and expenditure for previous two years. Council
budget books are not acceptable, although evidence should remain compliant with governing
body procedures.

Next Steps

Local authority museums – types 1-3

Details of cost centre breakdowns for specific museum related activity and expenditure should
be provided.

34

University museums – types 1-3
We’ll need the actual final income and expenditure for previous two years.

Getting Started

Organisational Health

What we’re looking for•	We’ll check to see how you manage your finances and allocate these to identified objectives•	We’ll check that the accounts are sufficiently detailed to show expenditure on museum
activities such as conservation, exhibitions, premises maintenance, operation•	We’ll look at your financial sustainability and check that the museum isn’t overly dependent
on one source of funding and that any associated risks have been considered, with a clear
mitigation strategy in place if this funding is no longer available•	We’ll check that collections are not being used as collateral (where something is put up as
security for repayment of a loan)•	We’ll check that collections aren’t being used as a source of income through unethical sale

Managing Collections

We’ll need the annual accounts for the previous two years as published.

Users & Experiences

Nationally-styled museums

Next Steps

We’ll need the annual accounts for the previous two years as published.

Organisational HealthNational museums

353.1 Secure occupancy of all premises
containing collections

3. Assess and manage risk toyour organisation

3.2	A risk assessment of security
arrangements

3.3 A clear, workable emergency plan

3.1 Secure occupancy of all premises
containing collections

Organisational Health

To meet the standard, you’ll need to provide evidence that you have each of the following:

Managing Collections

3 Assess and manage risk toyour organisation

Getting Started

Organisational Health

3.1 Secure occupancy ofall premises containing
collections

Why is this important?

What evidence is needed?

To ensure the long-termpreservation of collections,
your occupancy arrangements
must be sufficient to keep
your displayed and stored
collections secure and allow
effective forward planning.

You’ll be asked to confirm
occupancy information for allbuildings holding collections.
Where occupancy arrangements
are for less than 12 months
you’ll be asked to outline yourcontingency planning to ensure
the long-term protection of thecollection (for example showing
contingency planning in yourforward or business plan).

Next StepsTo meet the standard,
you’ll need

Users & Experiences

All museums

36Legal definitions and meaning in relation toland law and ownership vary across the UK,particularly between Scotland and England,so occupancy arrangements can be found in:•	Freehold documentation absolute interests inland (Scotland)•	Tenancies•	Leaseholds•	Licences•	Permissions to occupy (Ministry of Defence)

Getting Started

Organisational Health•	We’ll look for short or very short notice periods and check to see how risks are managed
within the forward/business plan including evidence of contingency planning to ensure thelong-term protection of the collection•	We’ll check whether any buildings are occupied without formal written agreements and whatevidence or explanation has been provided• If we come on a site visit, we’ll check that all buildings housing collections have been included

Managing Collections•	We’ll check long-term arrangements (usually at least 12 months) are in place

Users & Experiences•	We won’t normally ask to see written terms of occupancy, other than in complex cases orwhere challenges have been highlighted as part of previous assessments

Next Steps

What we’re looking for

Organisational Health•	Other forms of tenancy agreement

37What evidence is needed?

A risk assessment of yoursecurity is a crucial partof ensuring the long-termpreservation of collections
and your museum. It
should identify threats tocollections, people andbuildings and help you
address or mitigate them.

The appropriate source of
security advice will vary
according to the size, scope,vulnerability and value of yourmuseum and collections.
Advice will need to coverarrangements for yourworkforce, visitors, buildings andcollections – in store, on display,
in offices or off-site – andcollections information.
Arrangements for all these areas
should be reviewed at least once
every five years.
You’ll need to show how
recommendations have been,or will be, implemented,
for example by providing
references from your forward
or business plan.

Organisational Health

3.2 A risk assessment of
security arrangements

Why is this important?

Managing Collections

To meet the standard,
you’ll need

Users & Experiences

All museums

Next Steps

3.2 A risk assessment of
security arrangements

Getting Started

Organisational Health

38

•	
The National Security Adviser at Arts
Council England
The security advice will need to look at all
aspects of your museum and its collections,from the physical security of the building to
how you secure the information you hold oncollections, for example, confidential informationsuch as lists of the most valuable objects inyour collection.

A security report could be produced from notes
you’ve made of verbal recommendations, yourown audit or a formal report received from asecurity expert. We won’t ask you to send thisin with your online form.
If we visit you, we’ll ask to see yoursecurity assessment.

What we’re looking for•	We’ll check to see that the review covers all aspects of security and is proportionate to thesize and type of your museum and scale of your collections•	We’ll ask for confirmation that you have a plan in place for implementing the recommendations•	We’ll ask how many of the recommendations you’ve implemented and look to see whether
any actions arising from recommendations are referenced in your forward or business plan•	We’ll check your plan has been reviewed within the last five years

Organisational Health• Your alarm or insurance provider

Managing Collections•	Your local police liaison/community
safety officer

Users & Experiences•	
An internal specialist or specialist fromanother museum

If you can’t get expert advice, we’ll expect
you to undertake a risk assessment covering
workforce, visitors, buildings and collections –on display and in store – and about the natureof your museum, the collections and theinformation you hold on them. Collections Trust
has information and templates on security audits
and a security toolkit. These resources should be
used if you can’t access expert advice and yourrisk assessment has come out as low risk.

Next Steps

Security advice can come in a variety of forms –if you can, you should get expert advice.
This could be from:Getting Started

Organisational Health39

What evidence is needed?

Having an emergency planthat you’ve tested ensuresthat you can respondquickly and effectively toemergencies or disastersituations, protecting
people, collections,collections information
and buildings.

Your emergency plan will beappropriate to the size of yourmuseum and composition ofyour collections. It will include:•	Arrangements for the staff andvolunteers, visitors, collections
and collections information• A risk assessment of threats•	Information on how the planis authorised, maintained,
communicated, tested, andmade available to your staff
and volunteers and theemergency services•	How you work with the
emergency services•	How your plan links to any
other relevant emergency
plans, for example if you
share a building with anotherorganisation•	An understanding of salvage
priorities and information on
first aid steps for damaged
objects

Organisational Health

3.3 A clear, workable
emergency plan

Why is this important?

•	A review procedure and dateof reviewYou’ll need to confirm
what elements the emergency
plan covers and when it waslast reviewed.

Next StepsTo meet the standard,
you’ll needManaging Collections

All museums

Users & Experiences

3.3 A clear, workable emergency plan

Getting Started

Organisational Health40

Those who work or volunteer at your museum
should know about the emergency plan andyou should carry out regular testing anddiscussions around emergency planning withthe whole workforce.

We’ll typically only ask you for a copy of yourplan if we visit you for an Accreditation site
visit, if your museum has undergone a major
redevelopment, or where we have concerns.
You’ll need to ensure that the plan is reviewed
every five years, and immediately after any
significant changes to buildings and contents,for example, a redevelopment. If you havesuffered a disaster situation you may need tolook at how well your plan has functioned
and make changes to improve its operation.

What we’re looking for•	We’ll check that the emergency plan covers arrangements for the workforce, visitors,
collections, and information on the collections•	We’ll confirm it includes information on how you authorise, maintain, communicate and test
your plan, and how you make it available to your workforce and the emergency services

Organisational HealthIf these are outlined in other documents, you’ll
need to let us know where in your application.

Your emergency plan should inform yourbroader collections care processes andprocedures, for example, when selecting
priority objects for salvage and retrieval.

Managing Collections

You need to consider and assess what threats
there are to your operation. Typically, theseinclude fire, water, theft, and vandalism. Your
plan should cover the procedures you would
implement in an emergency and will outline theactions you’ll take to secure and care for all yourassets, both during and after an emergency.
These include people, buildings, collections,and the information you hold on collections.

Getting Started

Organisational Health

Next Steps

Users & Experiences•	We’ll check how often the plan is tested and the date of its last review

41

In each case you’ll need to reference the relevant
document or section on the application form.

4. Hold and develop collections

Managing Collections

5. Hold useful and useable informationon collections

6. Care for and conserve collections

Organisational Health

You may have brought together all yourcollections management policies into a single
document. Your plans might appear in a
separate collections management plan or withinyour forward/business plan.

Managing Collections

Larger organisations may follow PAS 197:2009
Code of practice for cultural collections
management and develop a suite of policies
across all areas of collections development,collections documentation, collections care, andconservation and collections access.

Users & Experiences

The next three requirements of the Accreditation
Standard look at how you manage yourcollections. It will cover how you develop,
document and look after your collections.
Different museums approach collections
management and planning in different ways.

Next Steps

Guidance notes for Accreditation Standard
requirements 4-6, Managing Collections

Getting Started

Managing Collections42

4H
 old and develop collections
To meet the standard, you’ll need to provide evidence that you have each of the following:

Getting Started

Managing Collections

All museums
To meet the standard,
you’ll need
4.1 To takeresponsibility for all thecollections you manage

Why is this important?

What evidence is needed?

To be accountable for yourcollections you need to knowwhat you own and whichcollections are on loan, andensure you have up to dateloan documentation.

You’ll be asked to confirm thesize of your collection, theproportion the museum owns,
the proportion on loan to it andwhether any associated loan
agreements are up to date.

Robust ownership andloan and/or managementagreements are critical forthe long-term sustainabilityof your museum.

If most of your collection is on
loan, we’ll ask you to explain theloan arrangements in place andassess any risks.
You’ll only need to upload copies
of key loan agreements if these
relate to a sizeable proportion of
the museum’s collection (morethan 50%).

Managing Collections

4.1 T
 o take responsibility for all thecollections you manage

Users & Experiences

4.2 A
 policy, approved by the governing
body, for developing collections,
including acquisitions and disposals

Next Steps

4. Hold and develop
collections

Organisational Health

4.1 T o take responsibility for all thecollections you manage

43•	If most of the collection is on loan, we’ll want to know you’re aware of and are managing
any associated risks•	We’ll cross-reference with your response to sections 4.2 (collections development policy)
and 5.2 (Spectrum primary procedures) to check if collections with unclear ownership feature
within your documentation plan•	If you have attached a service level agreement or significant loan/management agreement,
we’ll check to see who is responsible for new acquisitions and disposals. This agreement
should be signed by both parties

Organisational Health•	We’ll check what proportion of the collection is on loan and if there are up to date loan
agreements in place. If not, we’ll check how the ownership of legacy loans is being managed

Managing Collections

What we’re looking for

Users & Experiences

or a separate collections trust. If you hold anycollections that are on loan, the duration of theloan must be appropriate and include regularreview between the museum and the owner.
The term ‘permanent loan’ has no legal status
and should be avoided. You should make surethat all loans have an associated fixed termloan agreement meeting Spectrum standards(see 5.2).

Next StepsYour museum policy documents and proceduresshould clearly show and evidence the ownershiparrangements of the current collections and who
will own new acquisitions to the collections (see4.2). Often the governing body will own the
majority of collections, although it may be thecase that all, or a significant proportion of thecollections, are owned by a separate organisation
or individual/s, for example a local authority

Getting Started

Managing Collections

44

What evidence is needed?

The policy underpins thedevelopment of yourcollections. It shows
how your collections
development activities(acquisition, appraisal,
deaccessioning, anddisposal) link clearly
to your statement of
purpose and meet ethicalcommitments and legal
requirements.

Your collections development policy
must include:

Using the Accreditation
template as the basis
for your policy means
museums have a sharedlanguage in relation toacquisition and disposal.

•	Reference to the collecting policies ofother museums where you collect inthe same or related areas or subject
fields. Reference to any formal
collecting relationships for example
joint acquisition agreements etc• Your statement of purpose• A history of the collections• An overview of current collections•	Themes and priorities for futurecollecting•	Themes and priorities forrationalisation and disposal•	Information on the legal and ethicalframework for acquisition and disposal• Review date
You’ll be asked for a copy of yourcollections development policy withsigned approval.
If you have a collections management
policy framework, you’ll need to tell
us where to find details on collections
development. If you’ve published elementsof your collections development policy
separately, for example a spoliation
statement or a due diligence policy then
you need to provide links to the publisheddocuments with relevant approvals.

Organisational Health

4.2 A policy, approvedby the governing
body, for developing
collections, including
acquisitions anddisposals

Why is this important?

Managing Collections

To meet the standard,
you’ll need

Users & Experiences

All museums

Next Steps

4.2 A policy, approved by the governing
body, for developing collections,
including acquisitions and disposals

Getting Started

Managing Collections

45

Collections development policies should be
reviewed at least every five years. It’s a goodidea to make the policy start and end dates
really clear on your document.

Practical guidance notes: where canwe find the template?
The template is available to download online,from your Accreditation assessing organisationor Museum Development provider.
Assessing organisations

EnglandArts Council Englandhttps://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supporting-arts-museums-and-libraries/
museums-accreditation-scheme
Regional Museum Development providers
https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/museum-development-programme/
museum-development-providers

The Isle of Man andChannel Islands

Arts Council Englandhttps://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supporting-arts-museums-and-libraries/
museums-accreditation-scheme

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Museums Council
https://www.nimc.co.uk/

ScotlandMuseums Galleries Scotland
https://www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/

Wales

The Welsh Government
https://gov.wales/topics/culture-tourism-sport/museums-archiveslibraries/?lang=en

Organisational Health

The 2014 template replaces the earlier template
published in December 2011 and all previous
versions of the acquisitions and disposals policy
template. It was reprinted in November 2018 insupport of the 2018 Accreditation Standard.

Managing Collections

If your policy hasn’t been reviewed since May
2014 we’ll expect it to be updated to the 2014
template. Earlier versions of the template havebeen replaced by this version.

Users & Experiences

Practical guidance notes: which
template should we use?

Our collections development policy template wasdeveloped to help museums produce a robustand effective policy, relevant to their collections
and statement of purpose. Our template includes
standard clauses (in bold type) that all museums
should include. Many of these relate to the legal
responsibilities of museums as directed throughActs of Parliament, or International Conventions
to which the UK is signatory. The standard
clauses in our template have been checked so
museums don’t have to seek separate legal
advice. We’ll read your policy thoroughly andcarefully check that any changes to the template
clauses don’t dilute the meaning of the wording.

Next StepsUse the Accreditation collections development
policy template alongside these guidance notes.

Getting Started

Managing Collections46

1 Introduction
This section should include your museum’s
statement of purpose as your development ofcollections will be led by this. Describe which
other policies or plans it relates to and who it’s
intended for.
2 History of the collections
This section reviews the history of your collection.
Are there any key milestones in the developmentof your collections such as significant acquisitions
or particularly influential curators and donors?
Have there been any major changes in focus forthe collections? If so, outline these and describe
any key disposals (where relevant).
3 Overview of current collections
This section considers your collection strengths,
weaknesses, and current uses. Describe what isin the accessioned collection, its size, coverageand significance. Are there any areas which areparticularly strong? What types of collection
do you hold? How does your collection fit withyour statement of purpose and key aims? Are
there any parts of your collection which don’t fit

Being clear about this will help guide strategic
decision making and will support practicalobjects entry procedures.
5T hemes and priorities for rationalisationand disposal
What’s your approach? Which areas of thecollections will be considered for rationalisationand disposal and why? Are there any restrictions
on this and if so, why? For example, it’s not
permitted within your museum’s governanceor bequest conditions.
You could also tell us if this isn’t a priority within
the period of your policy (there’s no active
rationalisation and disposal). There may bereasons you’ll need to undertake disposals forlegal, safety or care and conservation reasons(for example spoliation, radiation, infestation,
repatriation). These are some areas you could
consider in your policy.
6 Information on the legal and ethicalframework for acquisition and disposal
This section describes the legal and ethicalframeworks that the museum works within.
The standard paragraph references the MA
Code of Ethics which is a minimum requirement.
We’ve already covered the primary legal andethical requirements of all Accredited museums
You may add additional ones in this section,
where appropriate.

Organisational Health

What are your priorities for collecting? What
are you planning to collect and why? How
does this relate to your statement of purpose
and forward/business planning? Are there any
restrictions on this and if so, why?

Managing Collections

You can also adapt your policy to select theclauses appropriate to your relevant Accreditation
organisation: for museums in England, Isle of
Man and the Channel Islands this is Arts Council
England, in Wales this is the Welsh Government,in Scotland this is Museums Galleries Scotland
and in Northern Ireland this is the Northern
Ireland Museums Council.

4T
 hemes and priorities for future collecting

Users & Experiences

These notes are to read alongside the template
to help you write, review or update your own
policy. The italics in the template show you whereto add your own text and include your museum
details. In some places you can choose fromdifferent paragraphs or clauses so select the option
which fits with your museum policy approach.

with this? Include any material that you haven’t
accessioned and explain why you’ve decided
it’s not appropriate, for example a handlingcollection or surrogates.

Next Steps

Practical guidance notes: how do we
fill the template in?

Getting Started

Managing Collections47

8 Archival holdings
This clause is optional within the template policy
depending on whether your museum holds
or intends to collect material which may beconsidered archival, for example documents andphotographs – in paper-based or digital formats.
If so, describe your rationale and approach todeveloping this collection.
Museums with archival material may also wish tolook at the Archive Service Accreditation Scheme
for these collections.

13 Exceptions
This section outlines when exceptions to thebroader collecting policy relating to exceptional
circumstances might occur. We’ve included astandard paragraph for this.
14 Spoliation
This section describes your policy relating tospoliation of works of art during the Holocaust
and Second World War period. We’ve included
a standard paragraph for this so choose the one
which applies for your governance type.
15 Repatriation and restitution of objects
and human remains

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archivessector/archive-service-accreditation/

This section describes your museum’s policy
relating to the returning of objects and humanremains. You’ll need to choose from theparagraphs in this section, as appropriate.

9 Acquisition

16 Disposals procedures

Use this section to describe your authorisation
policy for agreeing acquisitions. For example,
this might include levels of delegation relating
to costs of acquisition. There are standard
paragraphs to include in this section.

This section confirms you have an agreed andapproved method in place for taking objects outof your long-term collections. You can choose
which paragraphs to use from the disposal byexchange section (16.13).

10 Human remains
Whether or not your museum holds or collects
human remains you’ll still need to choose fromthe standard paragraphs in the template. You
can expand on this if you do hold or intend tocollect human remains.
11 Biological and geological material
Choose the appropriate paragraph for yourmuseum.

It’s important to use the standard paragraphs
as these also match the Museums Association
Disposal toolkit and Spectrum procedures.

Organisational HealthYou’ll need to choose from the paragraphs inthis section, as appropriate.

Managing Collections

In this section list any museums which you seek
to work with to avoid duplication of effort or thewasting of resources, or partner with in orderto joint purchase. Are there any other museums
collecting in the same area as you or that are
geographically close? This might be a formal
collecting relationship with another museum
such as a joint acquisition agreement.

Users & Experiences

12 Archaeological material

Next Steps

7 Collecting policies of other museums

Getting Started

Managing Collections

48

What we’re looking for•	We’ll check that the policy fits with the statement of purpose and is proportionate•	We’ll check that the policy is compliant with the required legal and ethical clauses inthe template•	If the constitution of your museum doesn’t permit the inclusion of all the required clauses
we’ll check that there are safeguards in place to ensure the long-term preservation of thecollection, and responsibility for acquisition and disposal procedures•	We’ll check that the description of the collections provides a clear overview to guide futureacquisitions and/or disposal as appropriate•	We’ll check it contains appropriate information about rationalisation and disposal•	We’ll check that you’ve included relevant collecting remits of other museums, local record
offices, and archives•	We’ll check your policy has signed approval in place•	If the collection is owned by a separate organisation as described in a loan or managementagreement we may need to check approvals from both the collection owning body and thecollection managing body. It depends how your policy approval powers have been delegated•	We’ll check your policy covers a clear time period and has been reviewed within the last
five years

Organisational HealthYou’ll need to provide a list of acquisitions from the last 12 months.

Managing Collections

If your museum is a national or uses a nationally-styled name, we’ll also ask you to explain how
your collection’s national importance and international interest supports your name and statedobjectives. We’ll expect your policy to cover your approach to collecting items of national scopeand importance and associated information.

Users & Experiences

Nationally-styled museums

Next Steps

National museums

Getting Started

Managing Collections49

5.2 T o follow the Spectrum primary
documentation procedures

Organisational Health5. Hold useful and useable
information on collections

Managing Collections

5.1 An approved documentation policy

Users & Experiences

To meet the standard, you’ll need to provide evidence that you have each of the following:

Next Steps

5H
 old useful and useable informationon collections

Getting Started

Managing Collections

50

Why is this important?

What evidence is needed?

5.1 An approved
documentation policy

The policy or statement
ensures your collections
documentation activities
provide you with usefuland useable information,linked to your statementof purpose, and meet
ethical commitments
and legal requirements.

The documentation policy or statement
should aim to cover the following areas:•	
Accountability – ensuring you record
sufficient information about theobjects in the care of your museum
so that each object for which you’relegally responsible (including loans)can be identified and located•	Standards in procedures andprocesses – with a commitment tomaintaining minimum professional
standards, for example Spectrum•	
Accessibility – the policy should define
access to collection information foryour community of users•	
Security – ensuring measures arein place for the physical security
and long-term preservation of
documentation records, whether
paper or digital including back up
and secure storage
The policy should be reviewed andre-approved by your governing body –at least every five years.

Organisational Health

To meet the standard,
you’ll needManaging Collections

All museums

Users & Experiences

5.1 An approved documentation policy

Getting Started

Managing Collections

If you have a collections management
policy framework, just tell us
where to find the details aboutcollections documentation.

Next StepsYou’ll be asked for a copy of yourdocumentation policy or statementwith signed approval.

51

•	We’ll check that the policy fits with the statement of purpose and key aims of your museum•	We’ll check your policy has signed approval in place•	We’ll check that the policy draws upon the relevant policy guidance in Spectrum•	We’ll check that the policy reflects the requirements of a management agreement(where museum operations are outsourced)•	We’ll check that the policy covers a clear period and has been reviewed within the last
five years

Organisational Health•	We’ll check that the policy is appropriate for your size and scale of museum andproportionate with your wider forward/business plan and available resources

Managing Collections

What we’re looking for

Users & Experiences

If you’ve outsourced the operation of yourmuseum to a third party, there should be aclear relationship between the managementagreement and the collections documentation

policy. Mechanisms for auditing collections
documentation against required standards
should be explicit in the managementagreement. It’s important that both parties haveseparately defined roles and responsibilities sothat there’s no duplication and it’s clear who
is accountable for different areas such as data
control and requests.

Next Steps

The policy should take into account that electronicsystems may become outdated and ensure thelong-term accessibility of the information held.
For example, will the system you currently use stillbe accessible in 10 years’ time?

Getting Started

Managing Collections52

5.2 To follow the Spectrum primary
documentation procedures

Getting Started

Managing Collections

The Spectrum primaryprocedures are essential
for managing collections
effectively, providing
accountability toyour governing body,stakeholders and funders,and enabling you tomake them accessible
to those who wish to
use them.

Your documentation proceduralmanual should cover the primary
documentation procedures in theSpectrum standard:•	Object entry•	Acquisition and accessioning•	
Location and movement control•	
Inventory•	
Cataloguing•	
Object exit
•	
Loans in (borrowing objects)•	
Loans out (lending objects)•	Documentation planning

It’s important for
stakeholders toknow collections are
documented adequately
and that the museum
is following museum
standards for collections
information.

You should plan to improve
the accuracy and usability of
documentation over time.
You’ll need to confirm that you’ve
implemented the Spectrum primaryprocedures and that you have amanual outlining the step-by-step
instructions for completing theprocedures at your museum.
You’ll need to tell us whether you’ve
completed the Spectrum standard
for Inventory and if not, when you
expect to complete this.

If we ask, you’ll need to provide your written documentation plan. If we visit you, we’ll ask to see
your documentation procedural manual and ask you to demonstrate the procedures in practice.

Managing Collections

What evidence is needed?

Users & Experiences

5.2 To follow theSpectrum primary
documentation
procedures

Why is this important?

Next StepsTo meet the standard,
you’ll need

Organisational HealthAll museums

53•	We’ll want to know how you intend to develop your collection documentation and that you
have a written plan showing priorities and timescales as described in the Spectrum standard
for Documentation planning

6C are for and conserve collections
To meet the standard, you’ll need to provide evidence that you have each of the following:

6.1	An approved collections careand conservation policy
6. Care for andconserve collections
6.2 A
 collections care andconservation plan

Organisational Health•	We’ll check if you’ve met the Spectrum standard for Inventory and if not, we’ll want toknow how you’re planning to resolve an inventory backlog or backlogs. You’ll be able toexplain this in your documentation plan with timescales for completion

Managing Collections•	We’ll check that your documentation procedural manual is up to date

Users & Experiences•	We’ll look at how you are implementing the primary procedures in the Spectrum standard

Next Steps

What we’ll look for

Getting Started

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54

What evidence is needed?

The policy or statementshows how yourcollections care andconservation activities
ensure the longterm preservation ofcollections, link to yourstatement of purpose,and meet ethicalcommitments and legal
requirements.

Your policy or statement should be basedon a combination of preventative andremedial conservation, both designed
to ensure long-term preservation.

The policy outlines
the duty of care andresponsibilities towards
the collection.

The policy should cover:•	Standards – the relevant standards
and frameworks you use to lookafter your collections, for example
Benchmarks in Collections Care•	Expertise – how you receive regular
advice from conservation andcollections care experts, whether
in-house or freelance•	Specialist collections - specificprocedures for specialist collections,for example, working historicmachinery or natural sciencecollections•	Communication – how the policy iscommunicated to your workforce,
contractors and users
The policy should be reviewed andapproved by your governing body atleast every five years.
You’ll need to provide a copy of yourcollections care and conservation policyor statement with signed approval.
Your collections care and conservation
policy may be part of your wider
collections management framework,
care and conservation plan, or in yourforward or business plan, in which casetell us the document and section.

Organisational Health

6.1 An approved
collections care andconservation policy

Why is this important?

Managing Collections

To meet the standard,
you’ll need

Users & Experiences

All museums

Next Steps

6.1 An approved collections care andconservation policy

Getting Started

Managing Collections55

•	We’ll check that the policy is appropriate for your size and type of museum andproportionate with your wider forward/business plan and available resources• We’ll check that the policy fits with the statement of purpose and key aims of your museum• We’ll look at how appropriate the policy is for the types of material in your collections•	We’ll check that you have outlined your arrangements for accessing appropriate
collections care and conservation advice• We’ll check your policy has signed approval in place•	We’ll check that the policy reflects the requirements of a management agreement(where museum operations are outsourced)•	We’ll check that the policy covers a clear period and has been reviewed within the last
five years

Organisational Health

What we’ll look forManaging Collections•	
Remedial conservation involves a treatment
to an object or specimen to bring it toa more acceptable condition or state tostabilise it or enhance some aspects of its
cultural or scientific value

Users & Experiences•	
Preventative conservation covers themeasures necessary to slow down orminimise deterioration of museum objects,
and specimens and structures

Where the operation of a museum has been
outsourced to a third party there should be aclear relationship between the managementagreement and the collections care andconservation policy. Arrangements for auditingcollections condition against required standards
should be clear in the management agreement.
It’s important that both parties have separately
defined roles and responsibilities so that
there’s no duplication and it’s clear who is
responsible for different areas such as insurance,
conservation and maintenance.

Next Steps

There are two types of conservation:

Getting Started

Managing Collections

56

What evidence is needed?

Looking aftercollections is along-term commitment.
A collections care andconservation plan setsout your priorities
and activities and theresources required toachieve them.

You’ll be asked to confirm the areas
covered by your collections care andconservation plan.
You should have a plan to maintainand, where possible, improve yourcollections care over time. Priority
should be established through regularreview and assessment, covering thecondition of the collections and theenvironment in which they’re stored.
The resulting recommendations will
form the basis of an action plan which
will establish priorities and timescales.
The areas we will expect to see
covered in your plan are outlined bymuseum type in this section.
Your collections care and conservation
plan may be a separate document
or part of your wider collections
management framework, or in yourforward or business plan.

Organisational Health

6.2 A collections careand conservation plan

Why is this important?

Managing Collections

To meet the standard,
you’ll need

Users & Experiences

All museums

Next Steps

6.2 A collections care andconservation plan

Getting Started

Managing Collections

57

Local authority museums – types 1-3
University museums – types 1-3
National museums
Nationally-styled museums
The plan should include:• An overview of current collections care and conservation•	
An awareness of collection needs including vulnerable items and priorities for action with aplanned programme of remedial and preventative conservation work•	
Arrangements for building condition and maintenance to ensure that the building contributes
towards providing appropriate environmental conditions for the different elements of the collection• How you identify the main threats for collections on display and in store•	What you have based your plan upon? For example, collections surveys such as Benchmarksin Collections Care•	
Arrangements for pest management, regular cleaning and inspection, appropriate packing
and storage techniques, materials and equipment•	
Arrangements for environmental monitoring, control and equipment maintenance for locations
where you have collections including frequency of monitoring•	What resources are available? Who does this, what training they receive and how you accessprofessional conservation advice (whether in-house or contracted/freelance)?
• Arrangements for employing contract/freelance conservators• Review periods and timetabled actions

Organisational HealthManaging Collections

Independent museums – type 3

Users & Experiences

A basic conservation plan should include:• An overview of current collections care and conservation• An awareness of collection needs including vulnerable items and priorities for action with timescales•	
Arrangements for building condition and maintenance to ensure that the building contributes
towards providing appropriate environmental conditions for the different elements of the collection• How you identify the main threats for collections on display and in store•	
Arrangements for pest management, regular cleaning and inspection, appropriate packing
and storage techniques, materials and equipment•	
Arrangements for environmental monitoring, control and equipment maintenance for locations
where you have collections•	What resources are available? Who does this, what training they receive and how you accessprofessional conservation advice?

Next Steps

Independent museums – types 1-2

Getting Started

Managing Collections

58

If we ask to see it or we visit you, you’ll need to provide your written care and conservation plan.

What we’ll look for

Getting Started

Managing Collections

Managing Collections•	We’ll check that the workforce and any contract workers involved in the care andconservation of the collection are aware of the plan and trained in its implementation

Users & Experiences•	We’ll check that the plan includes an overview of current collections care and conservation,
has timescales, and identifies the people, equipment and resources available to implement
your plan

Next Steps•	We’ll want to understand how your plan has been developed. What have you used toprioritise your needs or base your plans on?

Organisational Health•	We’ll look at how appropriate the plan is to your museum’s size and the composition ofyour collections59

7. Be accessible to the public

Users and their Experiences

8. Understand and develop your audiences

9. Engage with your users, and improvetheir experience7B e accessible to the public

Organisational HealthMuseums may cover aspects of 7, 8 and 9within overarching policy documents relating
to audiences and access. Your plans may be
included in your forward or business plan orwithin a specific access, audience development
or learning and engagement plan. In each caseyou’ll need to reference the relevant document
or section on the application form.

Managing Collections

The final three requirements of theAccreditation Standard look at how you
engage with your users. It covers how you
make collections accessible to the public, how
you understand and develop your audienceand how you engage with them to givethem a better experience.

Users & Experiences

Guidance notes for the Accreditation
Standard requirements 7-9,
Users and their Experiences

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences

7. Be accessible to the
public
7.2 A
 n access plan

Next Steps

7.1 An approved access policy

60

What evidence is needed?

The people who
use your buildings,
sites, programmes,
collections, and theassociated information
you hold on them, need
to be able to accessyour services. This isan essential part ofproviding a service toyour users.

Your museum should have an accesspolicy or statement. This should be
informed by an access assessment anddeveloped in consultation with yourusers. Your access policy or statement
is often an internal management
document so it’s not the same as
visitor access information.

Your access policy orstatement will show
how your accessprovision links to yourstatement of purposeand meets ethicalcommitments and legal
requirements.

The policy or statement will include:•	How you identify the differing needsof users and provide access for them•	Information about the range ofinterpretative methods you use to
exhibit the collections•	Information about how you enablepublic access to the collections,buildings and sites, and associatedinformation•	Consideration of the use oflanguages other than English, where
this would make collections moreaccessible to local communities
and visitors•	How you will balance the care andmanagement of collections against
provision of access

Organisational Health

7.1 An approved
access policy

Why is this important?

• The date you’ll next review the policy
You’ll need to confirm the time
period your access policy covers andprovide a copy of your access policyor statement with signed approval.

Next StepsTo meet the standard,
you’ll needManaging Collections

All museums

Users & Experiences

7.1 An approved access policy

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences

The policy should be reviewed andre-approved by your governing bodyat least every five years.

61

Local authority museums – types 1-3
University museums – types 1-3
National museums
Local authority, university and national museums must comply with the Public Sector Equality
Duty and the Equality Act 2010.
In your policy or statement you should also include the standards you’ve used to develop yourpolicy e.g. PAS 197:2007 Code for cultural collections management.
The Welsh Language Act 1993 establishes the principle of language equality and notes specificsteps to be followed by public bodies such as local authorities, health boards and government
agencies – including organisations outside Wales that provide services to people in Wales.

Nationally-styled museums

Organisational HealthYour access policy should describe your organisational commitment to offer an inclusive service.
You should outline how access is provided and what processes you have in place to evaluate,
monitor, reflect and respond to users’ needs and develop your collections, facilities and services.

Managing Collections

Independent museums – types 1-3

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences

What we’ll look for•	We’ll look at how the access policy has been communicated to stakeholders and users,
for example if it is available on your website•	We’ll check that the access policy links to and guides forward or business planning

Users & Experiences

This will relate to your appropriate governance type.

•	We’ll look for how you’ve made provision of information in other languages in response to theneeds of local communities•	We’ll look at how your statement is shared so users and potential users can see it•	We’ll check that the policy covers a clear time period and has been reviewed within thelast five years

Next Steps•	We’ll look at how the policy covers all forms of access for example physical, intellectual,sensory, social, geographical, cultural and financial factors•	We’ll check your policy has signed approval in place•	We’ll look at how your access assessment feeds into your access policy

62

What evidence is needed?

To remain relevant tochanging user needs
and expectations you
should plan to improve
the physical, sensory andintellectual access to yourcollections, information
about your collections
and access to thebuildings housing yourcollections – identifying
priorities, timescales
and resources.

The plan should outline priorities foraction based on your access policy orstatement and recommendations fromyour access assessment. The accessassessment could include:•	Access audit or access checklist•	Work with focus groups, support
agencies, advocacy groups,
charities, experts•	Facilities checklist•	Review of interpretation andcollections use
The assessment can be carried out
in-house or with external expertise.
It should be carried out within the last
five years, or more recently if there’s
been a significant change to yourbuildings or displays.
Your plan will outline the procedures
followed for:•	Public access – including how you
provide information on what is andis not available for public access; andhow you provide access to collections
both on display and in store and to
information on the collections•	Research – your procedures forhandling research enquiries•	Access to professional advice foryour organisation – where you accesssupport, obtain advice and help•	Training for your workforce – howyou ensure everyone is aware ofaccess requirements

Organisational Health

7.2 An access plan

Why is this important?

Managing Collections

To meet the standard,
you’ll need

Users & Experiences

All museums

Next Steps

7.2 An access plan

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences

63

Public access provision could include:• Guided tours, including stores• Facilitated school or group sessions• Promotional events• Identification sessions• Website/online collections access• Research facilities and materials• Catalogues• Online resources
Improving access to your buildings,
sites, collections and collection information
may include:• Improvements to facilities•	
Alterations to improve the accessibilityof your building/site• Signage• Increasing access to collections in store• Loans to other organisations• Development of online resources• Handling collections• Temporary exhibitions•	
Learning resources, outreach, loans services• Collections tours
You’ll be asked whether you’ve had an accessassessment in the last five years.

Organisational Health

What evidence is needed?... Continued

Managing Collections

7.2 An access plan

Why is thisimportant?

You’ll be asked to confirm the types of accessyou provide to users.
You’ll be asked to confirm the areas coveredby your access plan and when the plan waslast reviewed.
Your access plan may be a separate document,
within your forward or business plan or in an
audience development plan.

Next StepsTo meet the standard,
you’ll need

Users & Experiences

All museums

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences

64

National museums
Nationally-styled museums
We’ll also look at:

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences•	Your research programme, what staffing arrangements you have to support research,and how research is published

What we’ll look for•	We’ll check that the access assessment has been completed within the last five years

Organisational Health• How you support other museums working in similar fields•	We’ll consider the balance of the permanent collection on display, and how you provide
access to the collections which aren’t on display•	We’ll consider how you’ve prioritised and planned to implement recommendations fromyour access assessment

Users & Experiences• We’ll check which areas your access plan covers

Next Steps• We’ll check what types of access to your collection you provide to users

Managing Collections• We’ll check that your access plan covers a clear time period65

8U
 nderstand and develop your audiences
To meet the standard, you’ll need to provide evidence that you have each of the following:

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences

Managing Collections

8.3 T o have a plan for developing yourrange of users

Users & Experiences

8.2 To use information to assess your users’
needs

Next Steps

8. Understand and develop
your audiences

Organisational Health

8.1 T o understand who uses your museum,
and who doesn’t

66

8.1 To understand who
uses your museum, andwho doesn’t

Why is this important?

What evidence is needed?

Collecting information
on who does anddoesn’t use the museum
enables you to findout more about theirneeds and expectations,and helps you plan
improvements to how
you deliver your service.

You should be aware of the breadthof current users and stakeholders,
informed by audience data you havecollected. You should also consult
users and non-users on the services
you provide and how their needs canbe met.
You’ll need to confirm who your users
and non-users are and what methods
you use for data collection andconsultation with them. For example,
a visitor survey or questionnaire.
You’ll be asked to submit your current
plans for improving your provision forexisting users, and how you work with
under-represented groups.
Your plan may be a separate
document, within your forward
or business plan or in an audiencedevelopment plan. If you haven’t got
a plan, you’ll need to describe this on
the form.

Organisational Health

To meet the standard,
you’ll needManaging Collections

All museums

Users & Experiences

8.1 T
 o understand who uses yourmuseum, and who doesn’t

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences

Consulting with your users and non-users needn’t be costly or resource-heavy.
You may well already gather this information on a regular basis. You may have to formalise
meetings by taking notes and recording opinions for use in developing your forward or businessplan. You may also wish to undertake short visitor surveys or questionnaires to gather data.

Next Steps

Independent museums – types 1-2

67

Local authority museums – types 1-3
University museums – types 1-3
You should use the information you have on your current users and your understanding of the
primary audiences for your museum to inform your forward or business plan and any wider
strategic plans (such as learning, audience development, programming and collections access).
Use any guidance or requirements from your governing body when considering consultation
processes and public engagement requirements.
You should standardise how you collect data across the museum, and your service, with specificand relevant categories of information identified and collected from across all museum activity.
Consider benchmarking your museum against similar organisations or looking at your own dataover time to track progress.

National museums
Nationally-styled museums
You should use the information you have on your current users and your understanding of the
primary audiences for your museum to inform your forward or business plan and any wider
strategic plans (such as learning, audience development, programming and collections access).
Using a range of mechanisms appropriate to your users and non-users, national museums andnationally-styled museums should formalise any consultation they carry out. You should standardise
how you collect data across the museum, and any associated sites, with specific and relevant
categories of information identified and collected from across all museum activity.
Consider benchmarking your museum against similar organisations or looking at your own
data over time to track progress.

Organisational Health

Consider benchmarking your museum against similar organisations or looking at your own
data over time to track progress.

Managing Collections

You should standardise how you collect data across the museum, with specific and relevant
categories of information identified and collected from across all museum activity.

Users & Experiences

Larger independent museums should consider formal consultation such as regular focus groups
from various sections of users and non-user communities.

Next Steps

Independent museums – type 3

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences

68•	We’ll look at your awareness of potential users and groups not currently accessing
your museum

8.2 T o use information to assess yourusers’ needs
All museums
To meet the standard,
you’ll need
8.2 To use information
to assess your users’
needs

Why is this important?

What evidence is needed?

Analysing andevaluating information
about your users
helps you plan
future activities andprogrammes.

You should have processes in place
to respond to user and non-usercomments in the short and longerterm, analysing and evaluating these toplan improvements to your services.
You’ll be asked to confirm that you
have processes in place.
You’ll need to show how youranalysis and evaluation helps guideforward planning with reference tothe relevant section of your forward
or business plan.

Organisational Health•	We’ll check whether the consultation with users and non-users is appropriate for your size
and type of organisation, for example in relation to services provided and users’ needs

Managing Collections•	We’ll check that your forward or business plan identifies current users of the museum

Users & Experiences•	We’ll look at your visitor figures over the last three years

Next Steps

What we’ll look for

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences69

We’ll expect you to evaluate the user experience of the services you offer and to find out about
any possible barriers to participation.
You should use the results to develop and improve your services. This is most likely to bereferenced in your forward or business plan.

Independent museums – type 3
Local authority museums – types 1-3
University museums – types 1-3

Organisational HealthIndependent museums – types 1-2

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences

You should use the results to develop and improve your services. This is most likely to bereferenced in your forward or business plan.

What we’re looking for•	We’ll look at how you evaluate and analyse collected information and data and how it isused to inform future planning•	We’ll check that the analysis and evaluation is of a sufficient level of detail for yourmuseum’s size and type

Users & Experiences

To evaluate your visitor/user experience activity you should include a range of analysis tools
and incorporate a mix of quantitative and qualitative approaches.

Next Steps

Nationally-styled museums

Managing Collections

National museums

708.3 To have a plan fordeveloping your range
of users

Why is this important?

What evidence is needed?

Putting everything
together in a plan todevelop your range ofusers helps you to remainsustainable and relevant
as an organisation, andresponsive touser feedback.

You should use the information you’ve
gathered and evaluated to inform thedevelopment of plans to broaden therange of users and increase numbers
where practical.
These plans may be included in yourforward/business plan or in wider
strategic plans, for example anaudience development plan.
You’ll need to provide your plan orshow where your plans to broaden therange of users sit with reference to therelevant section of your forward planor business plan and/or other relevant
strategic planning documents.

What we’re looking for•	We’ll look for what steps you’ve made to broaden the museum’s current offer or provision
to users and non-users

Organisational Health

To meet the standard,
you’ll needManaging Collections

All museums

Users & Experiences

8.3 T
 o have a plan for developing yourrange of users

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences•	We’ll look at how you measure the success of your plans to increase participation

Next Steps•	We’ll look for an understanding of why some potential audiences are not using the museum
and what plans you have to remove barriers to participation

71

Organisational Health

9.2 T o communicate effectively with users andpotential users through a range of access,marketing and promotional activities

Managing Collections

9. Engage with your users,
and improve theirexperience

9.1 T o provide stimulating learning anddiscovery activities, including exhibitions
and programmes based on your collections

Users & Experiences

To meet the standard, you’ll need to provide evidence that you have each of the following:

Next Steps

9E
 ngage with your users, and improvetheir experience

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences72

What evidence is needed?

9.1 To provide
stimulating learningand discovery activities,
including exhibitions
and programmes basedon your collections

Having a range oflearning and discovery
activities will ensure thata broad range of people
will be able to engage
with your collections andprogrammes.

You should have a clear understandingof the role of learning for users inyour organisation and that it is clearlycommunicated to and understood byyour staff and/or volunteers.
You will provide a welcoming andstimulating learning environment forusers and support learning in a variety
of ways, for example through talks,publications and learning resources.
You should work with partners tofacilitate effective learning experiences,for example special interest groups,
local community groups, further
education providers or adult learning.
You’ll be asked to confirm what
activities you use to support learningand engagement.
You’ll need to show where your plans
for learning and engagement sit withreference to the relevant section ofyour forward or business plan. Thismay be in other planning documents
or supporting literature.
If you choose to participate in VAQAS,
VAQAS Cymru, VisitScotland Quality
Assurance Scheme, Welcome Host
schemes or similar you could tell us
how this helps inform your planned
improvements.

Organisational Health

Why is this important?

Managing Collections

To meet the standard,
you’ll need

Users & Experiences

All museums

Next Steps

9.1 T
 o provide stimulating learningand discovery activities, including
exhibitions and programmes based onyour collections

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences

73Independent museums – type 1
Your learning and engagement activities are likely to include some of the following:• A programme of specialist lectures or talks• Groups, self-led or guided tours

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences•	Partnerships to support learning, for example on a basic level this might be a link with a local
school or links with local community groups

Independent museums – type 2
Your learning and engagement activities are likely to include some of the following:• A formal education programme supported by learning materials

Organisational Health• Self-led learning opportunities•	
Partnerships to support learning, for example on a basic level this might be a link with a local
school or links with local community groups

Local authority museums – type 1
Your learning and engagement activities are likely to include some of the following:• A programme of specialist lectures or talks• Groups, self-led or guided tours• Self-led learning opportunities•	
Partnerships to support learning, for example on a basic level this might be a link with a local
school or links with local community groups

Users & Experiences• Self-led learning opportunities

Next Steps• Groups, self-led or guided tours

Managing Collections• A programme of specialist lectures or talks74

We’ll expect to see evidence of a wide range of learning opportunities for different usergroups incorporating different learning styles. You’ll have well developed partnerships to
support learning, that are relevant to the variety of learning offers at the museum.
You’ll make visitor information available for group leaders.

University museums – type 1
You’ll have a formal learning offer within the university with regular subject specialist lectures
and talks that are available to all potential users not just the university staff and students.
You’ll work in partnership with various academic schools and departments, internal and external
to your university and other learning providers, subject specialists and schools to ensure theopportunities for learning are as broad as possible.

University museums – types 2-3
We’ll expect to see evidence of a wide range of learning opportunities for different usergroups incorporating different learning styles. You’ll support learning in your museum acrossthe workforce.
There’ll be at least one paid member of staff with responsibility for learning (this could be ashared post). Learning staff should be represented within senior management teams and relevant
workforce members receive regular training. Induction should feature learning at the museum.
There’ll be a range of sophisticated partnerships to support learning, relevant to the varietyof learning offers at the museum.

Organisational HealthYour museum will support learning groups, subject specialist lectures and talks and have aformal learning offer for multiple educational and user groups including informal learning.

Managing Collections

Local authority museums – types 2-3

Users & Experiences

Independent museums – type 3

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences

Next StepsYou’ll make visitor information available for group leaders.

75

We’ll expect to see evidence of a wide range of learning opportunities for different usergroups incorporating different learning styles. You’ll support learning in your museum acrossthe workforce.
There’ll be a number of learning staff at your museum, represented at senior management level
and in project teams. Regular training should be available to those members of the workforce
that need it, and your induction process should feature learning at the museum.
There’ll be a range of sophisticated partnerships to support learning, relevant to the variety oflearning offers at the museum.
You’ll make visitor information available for group leaders.
You’ll need to provide a copy of your museum display policy.
You’ll need to tell us what research and facilities are available for users.
National and nationally-styled museums should publish user research in some form. You’ll needto provide a breakdown showing how many people have used your research facilities in the last
12 months.
You’ll need to attach a list of scholarly works your museum has published in the last three years.
You’ll need to provide a copy of your published catalogue as an attachment or web link.

Organisational HealthNationally-styled museums

Managing Collections

National museums

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences•	We’ll check to see how learning is supported by your museum and whether it is appropriate
to your size and the scope of your collections•	We’ll look at whether learning activities reflect your purpose and collections•	We’ll look at whether or not learning resources reflect different learning preferences andwhether or not you consult with a broad range of people to develop learning opportunities

Users & Experiences

What we’re looking for

Next Steps•	We’ll check your digital and print media to see how learning opportunities are promoted
and what information is made available to individuals or groups to facilitate their visit

76What evidence is needed?

9.2 To communicate
effectively with users
and potential users
through a range ofaccess, marketing andpromotional activities

Keeping up to datewith the best andmost effective ways tocommunicate with yourusers ensures that theycan engage well withyour museum.

There will be a range of accessible andappropriate ways for users to accessinformation on your services both inprint media and via online resources
such as a website.

Publicising accessinformation online
including useful practicalinformation helps
reassure visitors that they
can access the museum
and know what facilities
to expect.

You should publish information
on location, how to get to themuseum, opening times, facilities andservices including details of current
exhibitions and programmes andaccess to collections.
The information you provide should
include what provision you’ve madefor users with additional access needs,
for example lift access or use oflanguages other than English.
You’ll be asked to confirm what
information you provide withreference to print media andonline resources.
You’ll be asked to upload supporting
documents or provide links torelevant pages on your website inthis section. If you have a marketingor communications plan you can
include it. Other examples might
include leaflets or posters to show us
your promotional material.

Organisational Health

Why is this important?

Managing Collections

To meet the standard,
you’ll need

Users & Experiences

All museums

Next Steps

9.2 T
 o communicate effectively withusers and potential users througha range of access, marketing andpromotional activities

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences

77Nationally-styled museums
You’ll need to tell us how you ensure the quality of your facilities, marketing and communications
are appropriate to your size and scale and reflect your use of a national name.

What we’re looking for•	We’ll ask for information on your opening arrangements to check your museum is a physicalsite/space/building which is open regularly and that there is access to the collection for aminimum of least 20 days per year

Organisational HealthNational museums

Getting Started

Users and their Experiences•	We’ll check that your website content is up to date•	In cases where restrictions are in place we’ll look to see that you’ve made alternative
arrangements so that users can access the museum’s collections•	We’ll check whether you have a dedicated phone number/email address for specific enquiries•	We’ll look at whether you use different styles of communication to reach different groupsof potential users•	Where applicable, we’ll look at whether your name is appropriate to your size and scale andreflects the quality of your facilities against other nationally styled and national museums

At the end of the online application or return form you’ll be asked if you’d like to shareany significant achievements over the last few years. This helps your assessor highlight
any key successes to the awarding panel.

Users & Experiences•	We’ll check that you’ve published visitor access information

Next Steps•	We’ll look at whether you provide information in accessible formats including languages
other than English and whether your website meets standard accessibility formats

Managing Collections•	We’ll check what published information you provide online and in print media78

If your museum meets the standard, anassessment of your application will go to an
Accreditation panel for an award decision. If it’s
your first application for Accreditation, you’ll
need to demonstrate you’ve met the standard
requirements in full. New applicants to thescheme can only achieve Full Accreditation.
Provisional Accreditation status is not available
as an award outcome.
If you’ve not met the standard, your assessor
will give you feedback. This will outline which
requirements you’ve not met. You will need towork on these first if you still wish to continue.
Depending on how much work you have to do
we’ll decide whether or not you’ll need to startagain with a new application. If we aren’t able totake this forward, we’ll explain why and give you
clear and supportive guidance on what you needto do to achieve Full Accreditation.
If you are still committed to achieving
Accreditation and able to respond to theassessor feedback you can submit an amended
application at any time within your Working
Towards Accreditation period.

Accreditation returns
Once your museum is Accredited you’ll need toprovide evidence that the museum still meets thestandard. This is called an Accreditation return.
This gives you the opportunity to review the
information you’ve sent us and to tell us about
any changes you’ve made.

As you’re approaching your review date for an
Accreditation return, you’ll need to make surethat your policies and plans are up to date andcompliant with the Accreditation Standard andthat you’ve provided updates on any areas fordevelopment you may have received. These
areas for development will be highlighted inyour previous decision letter and in the invitation
letter. If any activities have been delayed,
discontinued or revised just let us know witha brief progress update.

Returns deadlines
Your assessing organisation has published areturns schedule so check online for the date ofyour invitation and return deadline. We know
a lot can change since your last return so if you
think you’ll have difficulty with completing yourreturn in time please contact us well before thedeadline, so we can look at other options for you.
We’ll suggest options, agree next steps with you
and confirm any agreed extension in writing.
If you’ve deferred and you still can’t provide
a return, we’ll ask for some basic information
and we’ll likely recommend an award change
to Provisional Accreditation. At the end of thiswe’ll still expect you to provide a full return.
If you don’t provide a return by the agreed
deadline and we don’t hear from you, we may
change or remove your Accredited status.

Organisational HealthWe’ll assess your application for Accreditation
against the Accreditation Standard, including asite visit.

Managing Collections

If you’re a new applicant for Accreditation, you’ll
need to submit an application within the threeyear Working Towards Accreditation period
outlined in your confirmation of eligibility letter.

The cycle for returns is every five years. You
can check when your next return is due fromthe Accreditation return schedule published byyour assessing organisation. You’ll receive an
invitation letter from your assessing organisation
six months before your submission deadline.

Users & Experiences

New applicants

Next Steps

How your application will be assessed

Getting Started

Next Steps

79

•	
In making your assessment, your assessor
may call on the knowledge of, or havediscussions with, other relevant advisory
officers for their input•	
If you’re a new applicant, you’ll receive asite visit from us as part of your assessment.
We may visit your museum as part of theassessment where significant change, suchas major development, has occurred at themuseum since the last full assessment, or
where a museum has not been visited for anumber of years. Each assessing organisation
manages their own programme of visits•	
We may take up to six months to complete
the assessment process, depending onwhether you’ve provided all the documents
and evidence we require. The final step isto consider your assessment at a scheduled
Accreditation panel, who’ll make a final
decision on your museum’s award

Organisational Health•	This might include those documents which
aren’t uploaded as part of the online
form but are available on request. It may
also include more documentation aroundstatutory or legal requirements for example
safeguarding policies•	Once we’ve completed your assessment,
it’ll be sent to the Accreditation moderator
at Arts Council England. This is to checkfor consistency and is part of our quality
assurance process. We may ask for additional
information at this stage. This is the final
check and confirms that your museum isscheduled to an awards panel

Managing Collections• Y our assessor will make an initial desk-based
assessment, which may include further
requests for additional information•	
We also visit a sample of the returning
museums. More information about planning
for a visit can be found on the website ofyour Accreditation assessing organisation

Users & Experiences

Once you’ve submitted your application(or return application):

Next Steps

The assessment process

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To check whether your museum is eligible to apply. If confirmed,
you will be formally Working Towards Accreditation.

New applications

You’re applying to the Accreditation Scheme for the first time,after a period of non-participation or at the end of a five-year
period following an award decision to remove and exclude fordeliberate non-compliance. To decide whether to award yourorganisation Accreditation status.

Accreditation returns

We ask all Accredited museums to update us, at least every five
years, on how they are meeting the Accreditation Standard. The
reason that we’re asking for an update is that Accreditation is anagreed standard, which demonstrates how museums manage
their collections properly, engage with visitors, and are governed
appropriately. We’ll use this information to check whether you arestill meeting the purpose of the Accreditation Scheme and therequirements of the standard. We’ll confirm whether you retain
your Accreditation award following the decision-making panel.

Provisional review
assessments

You have received a Provisional award and have outstanding
required actions to address within an agreed timescale. Whenyou have completed these we’ll assess again and go back to an
Accreditation panel to make an award decision.

Significant
change reviews

You’re undergoing or expecting any significant changes that may
impact on your museum’s compliance with the standard. You’ll
be asked to provide an update and we’ll use this information todecide whether we need to go back to an Accreditation panel tomake an award decision.

Compliance reviews

To decide if you do not fulfil the purpose of the Accreditation
Scheme, meet the requirements of the standard or continue tomeet the terms and conditions of the scheme through the durationof the organisation’s Accreditation award.

Organisational Health

Eligibility questionnaire

Managing Collections

What this means?

Users & Experiences

Assessment type

Next Steps

What types of assessment are there?

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What are the possible decisions thatpanels can make?
Award outcome

What this means

Full Accreditation

You’ve shown how you meet theAccreditation Standard and are
actively addressing any areas fordevelopment

Provisional
Accreditation

You’ve met the majority of theAccreditation Standard but
haven’t been able to meet all
the requirements. You’re actively
working on outstanding required
actions within a set timescale
On satisfactory completion ofthese required actions, we’ll
return to an Accreditation panel
with a recommendation for Full
Accreditation status
This award decision is notavailable to museums who are
new applicants to the Scheme
If your museum is Provisionally
Accredited you hold an
Accreditation award

Scenario

If you’re undertaking a major
redevelopment or experiencing
organisational change this is acommon outcome

Organisational HealthAward decisions are not made by your individual
assessor or by the Accreditation moderator at
the quality assurance stage.

Managing Collections

the effective and consistent operation of
the Accreditation Scheme for museums andgalleries in the UK. The Committee acts as arepresentative of the museum sector in the UK
in its overview of the Accreditation Scheme formuseums and galleries.

Users & Experiences

The UK Museums Accreditation Committee
makes all decisions to award and remove
Accreditation status. A sub-group of theCommittee form a panel to make all decisions
on applications and returns. The Museum
Accreditation Committee is recruited andselected by the UK Accreditation Partnershipand formally appointed by Arts Council England.
The purpose of the Committee is to oversee

Next Steps

Who makes the award decision?

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Remove

You are no longer an
Accredited museum
Where a museum is removed
we’ll let you know the reason
and signpost appropriate
support and guidance
Removal from the scheme isn’t
the same as being removed
and excluded

There are a number of reasons
why it might not be appropriate
for you to continue participating inthe scheme:
closure: the collection has beentransferred elsewherechange of function: ineligible forparticipation, no longer a museum
serious disaster: for example, acatastrophic fire – no longer in aposition to continue as a museum
merger: combined withanother organisation delivering
similar objectives that is alreadyparticipating within the scheme
capacity: you’re not able to meetthe standard and you haven’t taken
action to progress to full status
withdrawal: you’ve chosen to
voluntarily withdraw and so areremoved from the scheme in linewith your own instructions
failure to provide a return:you’ve not provided a return to theassessing organisation promptly withinformation we reasonably required
about your organisation relating to
Accreditation
failure to comply with terms
and conditions: you’ve not met
the terms and conditions for the
Accreditation Scheme for Museums
and Galleries in the United
Kingdom: Accreditation Standard

Organisational HealthThe panel have asked for
additional information before
making an award decision

Managing Collections

Deferred decision

Scenario

Users & Experiences

What this means

Next Steps

Award outcome

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83

This decision applies whena museum or its governing
body have made an irreversible
decision or action which goesagainst the shared ethical basisof the scheme by contravening
the standard. An Accreditation
panel will have agreed thisstatus following the receipt ofa recommendation for removaland exclusion from an assessor

You’ve undertaken unethicalconduct, including but notlimited to the unethical saleof museum collections

Excluded museums will
not become eligible for
Accreditation for a minimumof five years from effective
decision date of the panel
Excluded museums may apply
for consideration of eligibility
to the relevant assessingorganisations five years
after their removal for
non-complianceMuseums continuing todeliberately contravene arequirement or requirementsof the scheme are noteligible to reapply. When
applying again you’ll need todemonstrate that compliancehas taken place for thepreceding five years and thatformer non-compliant issues
have been addressed throughappropriately amended andcompliant policies, plansand procedures

Organisational HealthRemove andexclude due todeliberate
non-complianceManaging Collections

Scenario

Users & Experiences

What this means

Next Steps

Award outcome

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Your award letter
Your award outcome letter describes
any recommendations agreed by thedecision-making panel. If the panel has
awarded Full Accreditation, we’ll provide
an award certificate.

You’ll also receive a copy of our terms
and conditions for the award and needto confirm your acceptance of these.

How long does the award last?
Your award of Full Accreditation will last forfive years, after which you’ll be invited toprovide a return application for assessment.
Museums holding Provisional Accreditation
sit outside of the published returns cycle
as they need to respond to the identified
required actions by an agreed timescaleinstead (usually a short-term deadline of
12 months).
An award of Provisional Accreditation lastsfor 12 months in the first instance. If we’ve
set required actions this means you’ve
outstanding areas to address before you canachieve Full Accreditation. These are priority
actions with a shorter-term deadline.

If you’re able to address any outstanding
actions sooner than the full 12 months
that’s fine and you can submit whenever
you’re ready.
Provisional status can be re-awarded after
the initial 12 months for the same issue,
such as a major physical redevelopment
or governance change. There may also be
situations where a museum might resolve theinitial issue that resulted in that award, only
for a new and different issue to be identified
through assessment. In these circumstances
the museum may once again be awarded
Provisional Accreditation for 12 months
due to this new and different issue.

Organisational Health

We will formally notify you of the panel’sdecision as soon as we can once the meeting
minutes have been approved, and within two
weeks of the panel meeting at the latest.

Managing Collections

The award effective date is two weeks after
the date of the awards panel as this links tothe publication date of the official statistics.

Users & Experiences

Our target turnaround is six months for theassessment process from your submission.
If we don’t have a complete application andeverything we need for our assessment thismight take longer. Sometimes we’ll want tocome out for a site visit too, so we’ll agree
dates for this. We’ll schedule your case toan appropriate panel and your assessor will
let you know when everything’s ready andconfirm this date with you.

Next Steps

How long does it take?

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What to do if you’re experiencing
significant change
If you’re undergoing or expecting any significant
changes that may impact on your museum’s
compliance with the standard, you’ll need to let
your relevant assessing organisation know. Do
contact us promptly and don’t wait until yournext return is due. We’re here to help and adviseon next steps so don’t be afraid to get in touch.
Tell us about any significant factors thatmight affect services to the public. The typesof situations which might be considered as
significant changes (not exhaustive) include:•	
Short-term unplanned workforcechange/challenge• Unplanned museum closure• Longer-term workforce restructure• Major capital development• Governance changes•	
Change to the status, ownership orconstitution of your organisation• A proposal to sell items from the collection•	
You are likely to enter into administration,liquidation, receivership, dissolution or,in Scotland, have your organisation’s
estate sequestrated
In this situation we’ll usually ask you for
additional information such as a brief summary

report. We might roll this into your next
return if it’s coming up soon or we may takeyou forward to panel earlier if we need to do
an interim ‘significant change’ review. We’ll
often recommend a change to Provisional
Accreditation whilst you’re working throughchange. Overall, we aim to achieve the best
possible outcome for you and provide support
through the scheme. We are flexible and cansignpost next steps, appropriate guidance andsupport if you’re having difficulties or aren’t
sure what to do.
We’ll usually ask you to provide the following
information:• A brief situation report•	
A copy of your current forward planningdocument (or confirmation of situation)•	
A copy of your current collections development
policy (or confirmation of situation)•	
The date when your emergency plan
was last reviewed•	
The date of your most recent security review
Museums undergoing redevelopment and thatare closed to the public for longer than six
months will be reviewed as a significant change
assessment, considered at an awards panel andusually awarded Provisional Accreditation status.

Organisational HealthWe publish an updated list of Accredited
museums and a statistical report after eachpanel on the Arts Council website.

Managing Collections

Copies of the Accreditation logo (including

logos in English, Welsh and Scots-Gaelic) andMuseum Accreditation Scheme brand guidelines
are available from your awarding body for use
on your publicity material and your website.

Users & Experiences

Once you’ve received your outcome letter
notifying you of your Accreditation award it’s
up to you how you choose to publicise yourachievement. We love hearing your successstories so do share your photos, cuttings andtweets if you wish.

Next Steps

Promoting your award

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Where a museum participating in or wishing
to apply for Accreditation is hosted within
the premises of another museum, and wherean agreement exists for shared services
and/or responsibilities, the host museum is

expected to be part of the scheme and holdthe Accreditation award. If a panel decides toremove the host museum from the scheme,
then we’d also want to check the continued
compliance of the hosted organisation.

What to do if you no longer
wish to participate
If you decide to withdraw from the scheme,
get in touch with your Accreditationassessing organisation. We can offer help
and advice and welcome your feedback.
If you choose to leave, we’ll ask you for
written confirmation of your decision
showing this request has been approvedby your governing body. We’ll ask fora brief situation update explaining why
you’ve decided to leave. Let us know if there
are any risks to your collection or premises.

If your governing body manages more thanone Accredited museum and closes anindividual site, we’ll expect the collections
from the closed site to remain managed andcared for in line with the standard.
We’ll take your request to a panel to formally
remove your museum from the scheme andwe’ll confirm this outcome in writing.
If at a later point you decide you’re interested
in applying for Accreditation again, you’ll
need to start from the beginning bycompleting an eligibility questionnaire.

Organisational Health

Hosted museums

Managing Collections

Accredited museums considering afinancially-motivated sale, or a disposal bysale that might be viewed as financiallymotivated, should follow the process set out
in their approved Accreditation-compliant
collections development policy and theMuseums Association Disposals Toolkit
2014. If your museum governing bodyis considering undertaking a financiallymotivated disposal you should request advice
from the relevant assessing organisation.

Users & Experiences

Financially-motivated disposal is considered asignificant change for an Accredited museum
due to the reputational risk attached to an
inappropriate sale both to the individual
museum, the wider sector and also to thescheme as a whole.

Next Steps

Financially-motivated disposals

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87

Feedback and complaints
We welcome your feedback so that we
can continue to develop the Accreditation
Scheme and help with any difficulties you
may encounter. Please send any comments
or suggestions to your Accreditationassessing organisation.
If you’re still not happy with the service
you’ve received, there is a complaints

procedure for you to use. This explains theformal procedure for dealing with complaints
and the sorts of things you can make aformal complaint about. We recommend
firstly contacting the appropriate partner inthe country where your museum is based tosee if your concerns can be addressed before
making an official complaint.

Organisational HealthManaging Collections

Copies of the terms and conditions forparticipation in the Scheme form part ofthe declaration when you upload yourapplication or form on the online system.
We’ll also send a copy to you with youraward certificate and award outcome
letter which you’ll need to accept toconfirm your award.

Users & Experiences

It is important museums are able tomaintain the Accreditation Standard during
the lifetime of the award and you’re awareof the need to comply with the terms andconditions for the Accreditation Scheme
for Museums and Galleries in the United
Kingdom: Accreditation Standard. You
must contact your assessing organisation
promptly if any of the situations describedin the terms and conditions have occurredor are likely to occur.

Next Steps

Terms and conditions

Getting Started

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88

Review
The guidance documents are reviewed andrepublished regularly (usually annually) toensure they remain current and relevant.

Organisational Health

We will add your museum to the publishedlist of all successful applicants once theprocess is complete. For more information
about use of your data refer to yourrelevant assessing organisation.

Managing Collections

We will not release any information
about applications during the assessment
period, as this may interfere with thedecision-making process. We may share
information with external assessors
acting on the behalf of Accreditationassessing organisations to help us assessyour application as well as Accreditation
Mentors, Museum Development providers
and Accreditation Advisers so we cansignpost appropriate advice and support
during your assessment. After we reach adecision, we will tell them the outcome ofyour application and if applicable, why thiswasn’t successful.

Users & Experiences

We are committed to being as open as
possible. This includes being clear about
how we assess and make decisions on
Accreditation applications and returns andhow we will use your application form andother documents you give us.

Next Steps

Freedom of information anddata protection

Getting Started

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