UK Museum Accreditation Scheme
Covid-19 Update
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020, museums across the UK closed their sites in line with Government guidance.
In response, the UK Accreditation partners – Arts Council England; Museums Galleries Scotland, Northern Ireland Museums Council and the Welsh Government (Museums Archives Libraries Division) – paused the Accreditation Scheme with effect from 1 April 2020, and all Accredited museums in the UK had their current award status extended for an additional 12 months.
We promised an update to the sector by January 2021 and wanted to offer detail and some answers to Frequently Asked Questions about what museums can expect over the next few months.
The UK Accreditation Partnership
We want all museums to be sustainable, focused and trusted organisations, which offer their visitors a great experience. The Accreditation Scheme sets out nationally-agreed standards, which inspire the confidence of the public and funding and governing bodies.
The scheme is managed as a UK Partnership between Arts Council England, the Welsh Government, Museums Galleries Scotland and Northern Ireland Museums Council. It is run for museums and galleries of all sizes and types across the UK.
The online application portal is hosted and managed by Arts Council England on behalf of the UK Accreditation Partners.
Apply for Museum Accreditation
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 and engage 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 and galleries to meet an agreed standard in:
- how they’re run
- how they manage their collections
- how they engage with their users
Get started
Whether you’re applying to Accreditation for the first time or making a regular return application you’ll need to use our new application portal, Grantium. This is for all Accredited museums and galleries across the United Kingdom. You’ll also use this if you are already confirmed as eligible as Working Towards Accreditation and about to make your first application.
Help using Grantium
Before you can start your online submission, you need to create a user account and an applicant profile, if you don’t have one already.
You can’t start an application until we’ve validated your applicant profile, which may take up to 10 working days. Once you’ve had notification your applicant profile is validated you’ll be able to apply using the online portal.
Ready to start your online submission on Grantium? You’ll find it helpful to read our step by step guidance for the online system as it’s tailored for Accreditation. This includes frequently asked questions.
Already Accredited?
Support is available to museums that are already members of the scheme, to help them maintain the national standard.
Contact us
All UK museums and galleries applying to or in the Scheme can access technical support on using Grantium from our Customer Services team. We’re available to answer your calls 10am-5pm, Monday to Friday.