Advice and Support
We want you to achieve Accreditation. So we have staff, activities and information to help guide you through the process. Our Training section also has information on courses on aspects of Accreditation.
To access fact sheets and information on aspects of Accreditation see our separate Resources and information section.
Accreditation workshops
As the last batch of Registered Museums has been invited, we are no longer running the Accreditation Workshops. However we have resource materials from the workshops and, if there is sufficient demand, we will look into running a special workshop for new applicants.
In the meantime, discover how to prepare for the scheme by visiting How can I prepare for Accreditation.
Museums Galleries Scotland staff
You can ask the following members of staff for advice on Accreditation:
- General enquiries Standards Manager
- Constitutions (question 1.1) Head of Corporate Services
- Forward planning (question 1.6) Planning and Partnership Development Manager
- Staff management and development (questions 1.8 – 1.9)Workforce Development Manager
- Collections development (questions 4.2 – 4.9) Collections Development Manager
- Access and learning (questions 2.2 – 2.3) Learning and Access Manager
- Access and learning (questions 2.4 – 2.5) Learning and Access Manager
Curatorial advisers
If you do not have a museum professional in your museum, a Curatorial Adviser offers advice and support to ensure that you can still achieve Accreditation. All museums without their own professional staff must appoint a Curatorial Adviser.
The Curatorial Adviser is there to:
- Endorse the museum’s Accreditation application
- Offer subject expertise, knowledge of other museums, current museum issues and sources of advice
- Provide information and advice in relation to the Accreditation Standard
- Contribute to the Biennial Return by writing a report on the museum’s ability to meet the Accreditation requirements
As part of their responsibilities, the Curatorial Adviser should:
- Receive all papers and minutes of the governing body
- Attend and contribute to at least one meeting of the governing body a year
- Visit the museum at least once a year
- Provide details of how he or she can be contacted
You must notify Museums Galleries Scotland when you are appointing a new Curatorial Adviser and the appointment will need to be formally minuted by the governing body. You can ask our Standards Manager’s advice on appointing a Curatorial Adviser.
MLA have also produced a publication “Working with your Curatorial Adviser” which you can download from the MLA's website - Click What we do, then Raising Standards, then Accreditation Scheme.