How we work

Museums Galleries Scotland is a values-led organisation, committed to the ongoing development of a positive anti-oppressive culture for its people. From individual objectives to organisational goals, we are influenced by our values: collaboration, courageousness, integrity and a passion for museums and galleries.

A group of adults engage in discussion while sitting and standing at a table. One of the adults writes on a large sheet of paper.

Our vision is that Scotland’s museums and galleries are thriving, connected, and resilient organisations which are agile in embracing change. Trusted and valued by the widest diversity of Scotland’s people, our collections, and the shared stories we tell, are accessible and inclusive to all.
Scotland's Museums and Galleries Strategy 2023 - 2030

This vision is embodied in Scotland’s Museums and Galleries Strategy 2023-2030. The strategy aims to unite the sector in purpose to work towards a more inclusive, sustainable future.

We work together, as an organisation and in partnership with others, to invest in and develop Scotland’s museums and galleries, for current and future generations to enjoy. We welcome opportunities to work collaboratively with organisations who share our values and vision.

As the national development body it is important for us to be agile, aware of future challenges and responsive to changing needs. We aspire to be a high performing organisation, effective and efficient, and investing in our people.

Becoming an Anti-Oppression Organisation

MGS strives to be an anti-oppression organisation. We are committed to challenging oppression within our practices, policies, processes, and community. This goes further than the statutory requirement of the Equality Act 2010. We are dedicated to embedding anti-oppression practices in everything we do. We will keep finding new ways to improve our knowledge and understanding, with both our staff, our communities, and the museum and heritage sector.

We are committed to learning how to create an anti-oppression environment for our staff and those we work with. We expect individuals and organisations we contract or partner with to also aspire to this commitment.

Anti-oppression means understanding that for hundreds of years, we’ve lived under unfair systems like patriarchy and colonialism. These systems are designed to keep power in the hands of the few. They include ableism, classism racism, sexism, and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people. These systems benefit only a small group of people who have kept control until now. Anti-oppression work helps everyone by changing the power dynamic from ‘power over’ to ‘power with’. It’s about unlearning harmful ideas and working together to challenge these oppressive systems.

The areas of work below show some ways we are currently working to share power and resources.

MGS Anti-Racism Action Plan

We strive to be an anti-racist organisation. We are committed to lead by example as an anti-racist development body for the Scottish museums and galleries sector. Our anti-racism action plan sits within our wider responsibility to work in an inclusive way and sets out goals we are actively implementing.

MGS Cimate Commitment

We are a climate aware organisation and act in response to the Climate Emergency declared by the Scottish Government. We support Scotland’s museums and galleries to take action to meet net zero targets and become environmentally sustainable organisations.

Our Fair Work Statement

We are committed to supporting museums and galleries in Scotland to deliver better recruitment and employment practices through resources, training, advice, and the Scottish Government guidance on Fair Work First.

Inclusive employment at MGS

MGS is committed to creating an accessible workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported. We work closely with the Scottish Union of Supported Employment (SUSE) and have been named as one of Scotland’s leading inclusive employers as part of their Apt 30 initiative.

LGBTQ+ equity at MGS

We’re working to make Scotland’s museum sector a safer and more welcoming place for LGBTQ+ people. In this update we share the details of our LGBTQ+ Action Plan and the progress we’ve made towards attaining the LGBT Youth Scotland Charter.