Museum is as good as Tate Britain
A MUSEUM in Hinckley has been awarded national accreditation by the Arts Council England.
It means that Hinckley and District Museum, on Lower Bond Street, has met the same level of nationally-agreed standards of performance as many of the top museums in the country, including the Ashmolean in Oxford and Tate Britain and the National Gallery in London.
A certificate to mark the achievement was presented to Hinckley and District Museum chairman Ann Crabtree by Sarah Spurrier of Museum Development East Midlands at a meeting of the Leicestershire and Rutland Heritage Forum.
Hinckley and District Museum secretary Phillip Lindley said: “It’s a big deal for a small independent museum entirely run by volunteers to commit to an arduous accreditation application process.
“It’s very rewarding that Arts Council England recognises what we do and what we aspire to in delivering a facility that provides exploration, discovery, learning and entertainment.”
The accreditation process helps museum’s governing bodies to assess their current performance and to plan for future improvements.
Arts Council Englands says: “We want all muse- ums 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.
“It enables museums to assess their current performance, as well as supporting them to plan and develop their services.”
Participation is voluntary but around 1,700 museums have chosen to be assessed to show their commitment to visitor value.
A full list is available at www. artscouncil.org.uk
Hinckley and District Museum is currently fundraising to build an extension to improve exhibition space and visitor facilities.
Members hope that the official accreditation will give potential funders confidence in backing their appeal.