Museums & Archive

Guidelines

• There are thirty-four agreed minimum standards for the Museum Standards Programme. Twenty-five of these are required to meet interim accreditation, and the remaining nine standards are full accreditation standards.
• Eligible Participants will normally apply for assessment of the interim standards within three years of starting the Programme. Participants will normally have up to five years to achieve all the standards.
• The guidelines to the standards explain in more detail the requirements to be met.
• The format of this guidelines document outlines the requirements and guidelines for each minimum standard. The requirements specify what museums must do to meet a standard. The guidelines give more detailed information on how to attain the standard.
• For ease of use, the number of this guidelines document follows the numbering used in the accreditation application form. Please note that some of the standards relate to more than one question.

The Guidelines were developed during The Heritage Council’s pilot study to develop a standards and accreditation scheme for the Irish Museum Sector. Grateful acknowledgement is made to the following museum professionals who drafted the Guidelines to the Minimum Standards in different categories. The process was a lengthy one involving consultation with participants, reviewing drafts and meetings with the pilot study Co-coordinator, Louise Ryan. Members of the Panel of Assessors to the pilot study also made recommendations on the final draft of the Guidelines in October 2003. Special thanks are also due to all the participants who tested the guidelines in ‘real-time’ and provided feedback.

Aidan Walsh
Museum Management, Strategic Management Plan

Emmeline Leary
Constitution, Formal Management Agreement

Nessa O’Connor
Collection Policy, Disposal Policy, Loan Policy

Susan Corr
Caring for the Collection

Maighread McParland
Caring for the Collection, Disaster Plan

Anna Meehan
Caring for the Collection

Pat Holland
Phase I of Documenting the Collection

Anne Abernethy
Documenting the Collection

Mary Ann Williams
Exhibition

Pat Cooke
Exhibition

David Anderson
Education, Phase I

Kellie Beacom
Education, Phase 1

Jane Williams
Education Members of the Education Focus Group

Amanda Pedlow
Visitor Care and Access

Clare Tuffy
Visitor Care and Access