Museums
and Galleries Commission: The MGC is the national advisory body which
exists to safeguard and promote the 2,500 museums and galleries in the UK.
We have been carrying out this task since 1931 and, in 1987, we were incorporated
under Royal Charter. We are also a registered charity. The Government has
announced that in April 2000 a new body, provisionally called the Museums,
Libraries and Archives Council (MLAC), will undertake many of the MGC's
functions. What do we do? Placed at the heart of the British museum community,
we have three central roles: to provide expert and impartial advice, to
raise standards and to act as an advocate for museums and galleries throughout
the United Kingdom. Through our work we aim to safeguard museum collections
and to enable people to enjoy visiting and using the nation's museums and
galleries. How do we raise standards? We created a 'quality standard' by
launching, in 1988, a Registration Scheme. It sets out minimum standards
for museums and galleries in terms of collection care, public services and
management. A second phase, with enhanced standards and updated guidelines,
was introduced in 1995. Though voluntary, we are delighted to report that
more than 1,800 museums have now achieved Registration. This recognition
of professional standards, along with a continual promotion of 'best practice',
has dramatically improved the UK museum environment. We also run a scheme
called Designation which identifies and celebrates pre-eminent collections
of national and international importance in non-national Registered museums.
Details of the Designation Challenge Fund can be found in the advice section
of this website. Caring for our heritage Our conservation experts help to
improve the quality of care available to collections by providing support,
advice and information. They encourage new initiatives in preventive and
remedial conservation and set standards on a national basis. Our staff are
also concerned with museum and gallery buildings, working to ensure that
they meet the environmental needs of their collections and their visitors.
In all of this work we collaborate with other agencies such as English Heritage,
and the National Trust, and with conservation professionals throughout the
UK. We also manage the Conservation Register, a national database which
provides information on over 800 conservation practices which meet agreed
standards of operation. For more information on the register please call
+44 171 233 3683. Protecting our heritage Our security experts advise museums
on how to safeguard their collections. They assess the arrangements made
by non-national institutions to protect material borrowed from national
collections and act as advisors on lottery applications made to the Heritage
Lottery Fund. Giving access to our heritage We encourage museums to provide
the widest possible access to their collections. The MGC sets standards
and offers guidance in areas such as access for disabled people, museum
education and exhibition development. We are also looking at how museums
meet the needs of a culturally diverse society. Who pays for our work? The
Commission, usually known as the MGC, is funded by the Department for Culture,
Media and Sport. In 1998-99 the MGC has an annual budget of £14 million.
How do we spend our money? In addition to the services we provide on behalf
of museums, more than 80 per cent of MGC funding is allocated in grants.
We fund the seven English Area Museum Councils, the Tyne & Wear Museums,
CHNTO and mda. Two purchase grant funds, the MGC/V&A Purchase Grant Fund
and the PRISM (Preservation of Industrial and Scientific material) Fund,
are administered on our behalf by the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Science
Museum respectively. The MGC operates a range of its own grant schemes,
including the International Travel Grants programme and Conservation Grants.
These grants are a vital source of funding for many non-national museums.
We run the Sharing Museums Skills Millennium Awards (SMSMA) which provides
grants to finance secondments for both paid and volunteer staff in UK museums.
Please visit the SMSMA website at http://www.smsma.org.uk/ for more details.
Safeguarding our heritage In administering the Acceptance in Lieu Scheme,
we advise the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the acceptance
of works of art and other items in lieu of Inheritance Taxes. We also administer
the Government Indemnity Scheme for loans to non-national museums and galleries,
and provide advice in connection with Private Treaty Sales. For more information
please call Heather Wilson on +44 171-233 4200. Working with others We work
closely with the ten Area Museum Councils across the UK and are responsible
for funding the seven based in England. In turn, the Councils channel financial
support to individual museums in their regions. They also offer local authorities
and other local bodies an overview of provision in their areas along with
independent professional advice. The Commission also works with a number
of Government departments, Local Authorities, and a wide range of other
agencies, throughout the UK.