What we are doing to support and advise museum professionals and the museum sector.
Improving and recognising quality
We are part of the Museum Accreditation Scheme, a UK partnership run by Arts Council England.
Visit Wales runs the visitor attraction quality assurance service (VAQAS) Cymru. This builds on the visitor and user standards already reached for Museum Accreditation. VAQAS provides museums with an independent assessment from a visitor’s perspective.
Museum VAQAS Cymru is only available to accredited museums. We pay for all accredited local museums in Wales to join. We visit and assess museums every 2 years, and provide a full report.
Our visitor surveys form part of the Visit Wales surveys. We ask additional questions about why people have visited museums and heritage sites.
Our significance guide helps museums assess the value of items to help decide what to collect and display.
Financial support
Capital grants are available to transform or modernise existing museum buildings.
Creating a new museum is expensive and time consuming, and needs a great deal of long term commitment. Welsh Government does not usually offer financial support to new museums. The Association of Independent Museums publishes a guide to successfully setting up a new museum. You can also read the new museum toolkit on Museums Galleries Scotland.
Some accredited museums can claim back VAT. Check your museum’s eligibility using this application form.
Preparing for the future
Museums need to plan for staff and other changes, to make sure they can continue providing their services. Our guide and template can assist with this succession planning. This is also required for the Museum Accreditation Scheme.
Welsh terminology
We produce a glossary of museum-related words and terms in Welsh, to help visitors and museum professionals.
Offsetting your inheritance tax with donations of artworks
Donations of artwork to the nation in lieu of inheritance tax can be made in exceptional circumstances. The Minister for Culture decides whether Wales will accept any artworks offered.
Making visits enjoyable and easy
Our national museums are free to enter.
Kids in Museums is a charity that helps make museums open and welcoming to children and young people. We have financially supported Kids in Museums in Wales since 2012.