Museum Collection

Accreditation Success for The World of James Herriot

The World of James Herriot has been awarded full accredited status by the national Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). The accreditation scheme recognises the achievements of the museum in meeting nationally agreed standards in all areas of their work, from looking after the collection to providing access to the public.
The Scheme is regarded as one of the most innovative and effective developments in the museum sector in recent years. It has led the way in raising museum standards in the UK, and has been used as a model and source of inspiration for museums overseas. The Scheme:
- encourages museums to reach minimum levels in museum management, user services, visitor facilities and collections care
- offers a shared ethical basis for all bodies that meet the definition of a museum
- fosters public confidence in museum as institutions which hold collections in trust for society and which manage public resources responsibly, for both present and future generations
- provides a benchmark for grant-making bodies, sponsors and donors wishing to support museums.
The standards embodied in the Scheme have been developed by the museum community working across a wide range of organisations, whether large or small, urban or rural, publicly-funded or run by volunteers.
Accreditation recognises the importance of collections and effective collections management as the foundation for everything that museums strive to do. Without adequate collections care and documentation, the potential of museums to extend access to new audiences, encourage learning and inspire people's creativity would, eventually, be lost. Accreditation also addresses the needs of museum visitors. It requires that all museums provide:
- opportunities to use, enjoy and learn from the collections
- an assurance that the collections, including donated items, are held in trust for society
- information about the museum, its collections and its services
- a commitment to consultation with users, to ensure that future developments and changes take account of their needs and interests
- appropriate visitor facilities or details about facilities nearby.
In this way, Accreditation helps museums to meet the needs of today's visitors, while at the same time safeguarding their collections for future generations.

Donating to The World of James Herriot

The Museum is still adding to its collection, but in a selective way. If you think you have something which may be relevant to our collection please read our Acquisition and Disposal Policies before contacting us.

Acquisition & Disposal Policy Opens in a new window

Acquisition & Disposal Policy - Education & Props Opens in a new window

Museum Collections Officer
The World of James Herriot
23 Kirkgate
Thirsk
YO7 1PL

Tel: 01845 524234
Fax: 01845 525333