Museums Association

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The Museums Association (MA) is a professional membership organisation based in London for museum, gallery and heritage professionals, museums, galleries and heritage organisations, and companies that work in the museum, gallery and heritage sector of the United Kingdom.[1] It also offers international membership.

The association is the oldest museum association in the world and was started in 1889 by a small group of museums to protect the interests of museums and galleries. The inaugural meeting was held at the invitation of the Council of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society in York on 20 June 1889.[1]

The Museums Association's mission is to enhance the value of museums to society by sharing knowledge, developing skills, inspiring innovation, and providing leadership. The MA advocates for museums, sets ethical standards and runs training and professional development for members wishing to further their careers. Its annual conference is Europe's largest event for museum and heritage professionals.[2]

The MA has over 5,000 individual members, 600 institutional members, and 250 corporate members. It is independently funded by its membership.

In 2012, the MA began its Museums 2020 project to create a bold vision for the future of the museum sector.[3] Bringing together opinion and practice from around the sector, the MA wants to focus on the impacts that museums will have in the future on individuals, communities, society, and the environment.

The MA is charting the impact of budget cuts to UK museums through its annual cuts survey.[4]

And through its work with the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, the MA has created the Esmee Fairbairn Collections Fund,[5] building on its 2005 report Collections for the Future.[6]

The Museums Association is governed by a board of trustees,[7] from all parts of the UK museum community, elected by MA members. The current president of the organisation is Vanessa Trevelyan; the previous president was Stuart Davies.

The MA organises an annual conference [8] and produces a Museums and Galleries Yearbook. Members receive the monthly Museums Journal.[9][10] The MA also produces Museum Practice online.[11]

The MA also runs a professional development scheme, with mentoring and regular training events. "AMA" denotes an Associate of the Museums Association.[12] "FMA" denotes a Fellow of the Museums Association.[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Geoffrey Lewis, For Instruction and Recreation: A Centenary History of the Museums Association. London: Quiller Press, 1989. ISBN 1-870948-37-8.
  2. ↑ About the Museums Association
  3. ↑ Museums 2020
  4. ↑ Cuts survey
  5. ↑ Esmee Fairbairn Collections Fund
  6. ↑ Collections for the Future
  7. ↑ MA board of trustees
  8. ↑ Museums Association Conference and Exhibition
  9. ↑ Museums Journal, Volume 7. Indexes to papers read before the Museums Association, 1890–1909. Compiled by Charles Madeley. Available on Google Books.
  10. ↑ Museums Journal
  11. ↑ Museum Practice The latest case studies and best practice by museum professionals around the UK, with an interactive platform for users to share their ideas.
  12. ↑ Associateship of the Museums Association
  13. ↑ Fellowship of the Museums Association

External links

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