After a journey of more than three years, we are delighted to announce that the museum has been awarded Full Museum Accreditation.

This marks a significant milestone in our organisation's history and recognises the hard work, dedication and commitment that have gone into developing and caring for our museum, collections and services.

What is Museum Accreditation?

Museum Accreditation is the UK museum sector's nationally recognised standard, administered by Arts Council England. It sets agreed standards for museums across key areas including organisational health, collections management, visitor experience and public engagement.

Achieving Accreditation demonstrates that a museum is managed effectively, cares appropriately for its collections, and provides high-quality services and experiences for its visitors and communities.

Why is Accreditation Important?

Gaining Full Museum Accreditation brings a range of benefits. It:

• Recognises excellence and professionalism across all areas of museum operations.
• Demonstrates that collections are being cared for to nationally agreed standards.
• Strengthens public confidence in the museum and its governance.
• Opens up opportunities to apply for a wider range of grants and funding programmes.
• Supports partnerships and collaboration with other museums and heritage organisations.
• Helps ensure the long-term sustainability of the museum and its collections.

Most importantly, Accreditation provides independent recognition of the quality of the work being undertaken by everyone involved with the museum.

A Team Achievement

This achievement would not have been possible without the commitment and support of so many people over the course of the accreditation process.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all of our staff, volunteers and trustees who contributed to the application and supported the museum throughout the process.

Special recognition must go to our former colleague Sophie Anderson, who took on the considerable task of leading the Accreditation application and laid the foundations for its success. We would also like to thank Clare, whose support and dedication during the final stages helped bring the application to completion.

The successful outcome reflects the collective efforts of everyone who has helped shape and develop the museum over many years.

Looking Back, Looking Forward

We are incredibly proud of how far the museum and its collection have come since the organisation was first established. What began as an ambitious vision has grown into a respected museum with an expanding collection, a growing audience and an increasing impact.

Today, our reach extends far beyond the museum walls. Through exhibitions, educational programmes, digital content, research, partnerships and online engagement, we continue to connect with audiences not only locally and nationally, but across the world.

As we celebrate this achievement, we remain committed to continuing that growth, improving access to our collections, sharing stories with new audiences and ensuring that the museum remains relevant, welcoming and inspiring for generations to come.

This Accreditation is a moment to celebrate, but it is also a platform for the future. We are excited about the opportunities ahead and thank everyone who has supported us on this remarkable journey.