Accredited Museums

Accredited Museums

The National Museum Accreditation Scheme (run by the Arts Council) sets nationally agreed standards for museums in the UK. There are currently just under 1,800 museums participating in the scheme, demonstrating their commitment to managing collections effectively for the enjoyment and benefit of users. The scheme is designed to show how a Museum manages and develops its collection for the enjoyment and benefit of the community. The scheme, which is renewable on a three-year basis, was established in 1988 has supported museums across the UK to focus on standards and identify areas for development. The scheme is regarded as one of the most innovative and effective developments in the museum sector. It has led the way in raising museum standards in the UK, and has been used as a model and source of inspiration for similar schemes overseas.

The scheme is administered by Arts Council England in partnership with CyMAL: Museum, Archives, Libraries Wales; Museums Galleries Scotland and the Northern Ireland Museum Council.

Accredited museums have a responsibility to keep their assessing organisation informed of any changes likely to impact on the museum's Accreditation status.

Updated Accreditation standard

People's expectations of museums have increased. Museums' reliance on volunteer support has also increased. Environmental and operational challenges continue to grow.

Accreditation has recently been developed to keep pace with the times, to help museums develop their resilience through effective forward planning, to balance aspects of collection management and to encourage all museums to be responsive to user needs and expectations.

The benefits of taking part in the Accreditation Scheme

Accreditation enables museums and governing bodies to assess their current performance, and it supports them in planning and developing their services. It helps with:

Performance

It is quality standard that serves as an authoritative benchmark for assessing performance, rewarding achievement and driving improvement.

Profile

It raises awareness and understanding of museums, building confidence and credibility both within the governing body and among the public.

People

It helps museums to improve their focus on meeting users' needs and interests and developing their workforce.

Partnerships

It helps museums to examine their services and to encourage joint working within and between organisations.

Planning

It helps with forward planning by formalising procedures and policies.

Patronage

It demonstrates that a museum has met a national standard, which strengthens applications for public and private funding and gives investors confidence in the organisation.

To contact the Accreditation Service email accreditation@artscouncil.org.uk.

You can use the accreditation to filter a search by selecting it in the Accreditations section of the Search List Filters.

Venues with this Accreditation

17th-century house with elegant 18th-century decoration and a traditional farmyard

This charming 17th-century farmhouse, elegantly remodelled in Georgian times, offers fun and relaxation for all the family. Set in 100 acres of countryside, there are apple orchards and charming woodland walks. The atmosphere of a working farmyard has been rekindled with the return of small animals.

The eclectic collection at Arlington Court tells the story of a family who lived on the estate for more than 600-years. Discover for yourself the museum-like hoard amassed by Miss Rosalie Chichester, during her 84-years living at Arlington. 

18th-century mansion and estate shaped by a story of love and neglect

Built for the first Lord Berwick in 1785, Attingham Hall and its beautiful parkland were owned by one family for more than 160 years. As their fortunes rose and fell they proved themselves to be spenders, savers and saviours - providing a fascinating story of love and neglect whose mark still stands in Attingham’s rooms today.

14th-century merchant's house

This is the only medieval merchant's house in Conwy to have survived the turbulent history of the walled town over nearly six centuries.

Furnished rooms and an audio-visual presentation show daily life from different periods in its history.

Quirky 18th-century house with fascinating interior decoration and collections

This unique sixteen-sided house was described by Lucinda Lambton as having 'a magical strangeness that one might dream of only as a child'.

It was built for two spinster cousins, Jane and Mary Parminter, on their return from a grand tour of Europe in the late 18th century. It contains many objects and mementoes of their travels.

Unique and influential Modernist home from 1939

This unique Modernist home was designed by architect Ernö Goldfinger in 1939 for himself and his family.

With surprising design details that were ground-breaking at the time and still feel fresh today, the house also contains the Goldfingers' impressive collection of modern art, intriguing personal possessions and innovative furniture.

Discover one of Norfolk’s ‘Fields of Little America’

For two years during World War II some seventy sites across East Anglia became launch pads for USAAF’s bombing raids into occupied Europe. Each airfield was home to 2000-3000 airmen and ground crew, most of them volunteers. The airfields became known as "The Fields of Little America".

The BDA Dental Museum is the place to find out about the history of dental care and dentists in the UK. With over 20,000 items the museum has the largest collection of material relating to the history of dentistry in the UK, from its time as a marketplace spectacle to the complex procedures and treatment of today.

The British Optical Association Museum was founded by John H. Sutcliffe OBE in 1901 as a collection of historic spectacles and visual aids designed to illustrate the development of corrective eyewear.

Visit the Treasures of the Island exhibition

La Hougue Bie delivers a truly memorable experience that is at once thought provoking and peaceful.

Superb early 18th-century mansion with unique family history

Discover the story of a family who became caught up in the extraordinary events of the English Civil War. Their history is bound up in this beautiful house, which is still the home of the Carew Pole family today.

Outstanding 14th-century moated manor house

Lose yourself in this romantic moated manor house, described by David Starkey as 'one of the most beautiful and interesting of English country houses'.

Built nearly 700 years ago, this house has seen many changes and been owned by Medieval knights, courtiers to Henry VIII and high society Victorians.

Wander through the elegant home of Susanna Shakespeare and her husband, Dr John Hall. Enjoy the luxurious rooms and beautiful decoration of this fascinating house, befitting a wealthy physician of Dr John Hall's status.      

Relax in the beautiful gardens and breathe in the fragrant herbs as used by Dr Hall in his remedies.

Highlights at Hall's Croft

A fascinating treasure house of Swansea life

Swansea Museum is a real treasure house of the ordinary and the extraordinary from Swansea past and present, and is a focus for the future of the city and its people, as well as providing a visitor experience that we hope you find enjoyable. You are able to visit Swansea Museum at four locations - the Museum itself on Oystermouth Road, the Tramshed in Dylan Thomas Square in the Marina, the Muse

Family home and garden of Sir Winston Churchill

Chartwell was the much-loved Churchill family home and the place from which Sir Winston drew inspiration from 1924 until the end of his life.

Elegant country mansion set in attractive formal gardens and extensive parkland

Explore Kingston Lacy, a lavish family home built to resemble an Italian Palace.

There’s plenty to see, from grand, beautifully detailed carvings, to intimate family souvenirs and even strange curiosities such as an ‘I owe you’ note from a king.

Glittering Elizabethan mansion

Montacute is a masterpiece of Elizabethan Renaissance architecture and design. With its towering walls of glass, glow of ham stone, and its surrounding gardens it is a place of beauty and wonder.

Beautiful Georgian town house

Built in 1753, Lawrence House is leased to Launceston Town Council and used as a local museum and civic centre.

The museum is spread over three floors with exhibits that focus predominantly on local history including Launceston's intriguing association with Australia.

An ancient castle and comfortable country home with dramatic vistas and subtropical gardens

Dramatically sited on a wooded hill, a castle has existed here since at least Norman times, with an impressive medieval gatehouse and ruined tower giving a reminder of its turbulent history.

The castle that you see today became a lavish country home during the 19th century for the Luttrell family, who lived here for 600 years.

Beatrix Potter's 17th-century farmhouse: a time-capsule of her life

Enjoy the tale of Beatrix Potter by visiting Hill Top. Full of her favourite things, this house appears as if Beatrix had just stepped out for a walk. Every room contains a reference to a picture in a 'tale'.

William and Mary-style country house, garden and park

Built in 1701 by Thomas Vernon, a lawyer and whig MP for Worcester, Hanbury Hall is a beautiful country house.

12th-century Welsh castle, historic house and 18th-century landscape park, enclosing a medieval deer park

A magical land of power and influence for more than 2,000 years, Dinefwr Park and Castle is an iconic place in the history of Wales. Two forts are evidence of a dominant Roman presence. The powerful Lord Rhys held court at Dinefwr and influenced decisions in Wales.

The visionaries, George and Cecil Rice designed the superb 18th-century landscape that you see today.

Truly a hidden gem

One of the most elegant country houses in East Anglia, the Hall is a place of surprises and delights, a mixture of opulence and homeliness where each room has something to feed the imagination. From the stained glass windows in the great hall to the nodding mandarins in the chinese bedroom; from Queen Mary's teapot in the dining room to the copper pans in the kitchen. Story boxes for the childr

Elegant country house with highly distinctive gardens

This elegant country manor and tranquil garden sit so harmoniously within the landscape that one cannot exist without the other.

Charming 15th-century manor house with Arts and Crafts garden

This beautiful medieval manor sits in peaceful countryside. Cross the upper moat, passing barns, gatehouse and delightful parish church to enjoy fine oriel windows and the soldiers, griffons and monkey adorning the rooftops.

Romantic gardens offer terraces, topiary houses, gazebo, lily pond, roses and views across the spring-fed fishpond.

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British schoolgirl assaulted on school trip to Iceland

hotel corridor

A viral video shows a black girl being assaulted by a white woman in a corridor.

Police in Iceland are investigating after a British schoolgirl was slapped and chased by a tour guide in a hotel corridor.

The schoolgirl, 13, who attended Harris Girls’ Academy, was assaulted whilst on a school trip to Iceland to see the Northern Lights. The incident occurred at Hotel Örk, Hveragerdi on 13th October.