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Designation Scheme facts for kids

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The Designation Scheme is an English system that awards "Designated status" to museum, library and archive collections of national and international importance. The Scheme is administered by Arts Council England (ACE). As of 2023, 163 collections are officially designated. National museums are not eligible for Designated status.

The Scheme was first launched in 1997 under the auspices of what eventually became the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and originally covered only museum collections. Harewood House became the first stately home to be awarded Designated status in 1998. The scheme was expanded to cover libraries and archives in 2005. Responsibility was transferred to the Arts Council in October 2011 following the closure of the MLA.

Designated collections

Holding Organisation Collection Name Arts Council England (ACE) Area Year Granted
Ashmolean Museum (Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM) - University of Oxford), Oxford Ashmolean Museum Collections South East 1997
The Barber Institute of Fine Arts (University of Birmingham), Birmingham The Barber Institute of Fine Arts Collection Midlands 1998
The Baring Archive, City of London The Baring Archive London 2009
Bath and North East Somerset Council - Heritage Services, Bath Bath Fashion Museum Collection South West 1999
Bath and North East Somerset Council - Heritage Services, Bath Roman Baths Museum Collection South West 1999
Bath Record Office, Bath Bath Record Office Archive Collection South West 2005
Beamish, the Living Museum of the North, Beamish Beamish, the Living Museum of the North Collection North 1997
Birmingham Libraries, Birmingham Photography Collection Held by Birmingham Libraries Midlands 2005
Birmingham Libraries, Birmingham Archive Held by Birmingham Libraries Midlands 2005
Birmingham Libraries, Birmingham Early and Fine Printing Held by Birmingham Libraries Midlands 2005
Birmingham Libraries, Birmingham Literature Collections Held by Birmingham Libraries Midlands 2005
Birmingham Libraries, Birmingham Music Collections Held by Birmingham Libraries Midlands 2005
Birmingham Libraries, Birmingham The Birmingham Collection Midlands 2005
Birmingham Museums Trust, Birmingham Fine & Decorative Arts Collections Held by Birmingham Museums Trust Midlands 1997
Birmingham Museums Trust, Birmingham Science Collections Held by Birmingham Museums Trust Midlands 1997
Birmingham Museums Trust, Birmingham Birmingham History and Numismatics Collections Held by Birmingham Museums Trust Midlands 1998
Birmingham Museums Trust, Birmingham The Pinto Collection Held by Birmingham Museums Trust Midlands 1998
Black Country Living Museum, Dudley Black Country Living Museum Collections Midlands 2012
Bodleian Libraries (Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM) - University of Oxford), Oxford Special Collections at the Bodleian Library South East 2006
The Bowes Museum, Durham The Bowes Museum Collection, Barnard Castle North 1997
Bradford Industrial Museum (Bradford Museums and Galleries), Bradford Worsted Collection North 2009
Bristol City Museums, Bristol Bristol City Museums Collection of Applied Art South West 1998
Bristol City Museums, Bristol Bristol City Museums Far East Collection South West 1998
Bristol City Museums, Bristol Bristol City Museums Geology Collection South West 1998
Bristol City Museums, Bristol City of Bristol Collections South West 1998
Bristol City Record Office and Bristol Central Library's Local Studies Service, Bristol The Archive, History and Literacy Collection Relating to the History and Development of the City of Bristol South West 2005
British Motor Museum, Gaydon British Motor Museum Collection Midlands 2014
Britten-Pears Foundation, Aldeburgh The Britten-Pears Library South East 2005
BT Archives, London BT Archives London 2012
Cambridge University Herbarium, Cambridge Cambridge University Herbarium South East 2022
Cambridge University Library, Cambridge Special Collections at Cambridge University Library South East 2019
Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne The Collections at Canal Museum Stoke Bruerne Midlands 1999
Chesterholm Museum (Vindolanda), Bardon Mill The Vindolanda Trust Collection North 2016
Chetham's Library, Manchester Chetham's Library Collection North 2011
Churchill College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Churchill Archives Centre South East 2005
City of London Corporation, City of London History of London Collection London 2005
Colchester and Ipswich Museums, Colchester Colechester Castle Museum's Archaeology Collection South East 1998
Compton Verney, Compton Verney Archaic Chinese Bronzes Midlands 2008
Co-operative Archive Trust, Manchester Co-operative Archive Trust Collections North 2007
Cornwall Record Office, Redruth Archives Relating to Cornwall's Hard-Rock Mining Industry South West 2005
Courtauld Institute of Art, City of Westminster The Courtauld Collection London 1997
Culture Coventry, Coventry Coventry Transport Museum Collection Midlands 1998
Derby Museums, Derby Joseph Wright of Derby Collection Midlands 2011
Dulwich Picture Gallery, London Dulwich Picture Gallery Collection London 1997
Durham University Library, Durham The Bishop Cosin's Library North 2005
Durham University Library, Durham The Sudan Archive North 2005
Durham University Oriental Museum, Durham Chinese Collections North 2008
Durham University Oriental Museum, Durham Ancient Egyptian Collections North 2008
English Folk Dance and Song Society, London Vaughan Williams Memorial Library London 2011
Hampshire Record Office, Winchester The Records Held by the Hampshire Record Office South East 2006
Harewood House Trust, Harewood, Leeds Harewood House Trust Collection North 1998
Historic Royal Palaces, London Hampton Court Palace London 2009
Horniman Museum and Gardens, London Ethnographic Collections at the Horniman Museum London 1997
Institution of Civil Engineers, City of Westminster Library, Archive and Works of Art London 2009
Institution of Engineering and Technology, City of Westminster Collections of the Institute of Electrical Engineers, that is the Rare Books, the Archives and the Library London 2006
Ipswich Museum, Ipswich Borough Council, Ipswich Post-Cretaceous Geology Collection South East 2023
Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, Coalbrookdale The Ironbridge Gorge Trust Collections Midlands 1997
Jewish Museum London, London Religious Life (Judaica) Collection at the Jewish Museum London London 1997
John Rylands University Library (University of Manchester), Manchester Special Collections at John Rylands University Library North 2005
John Rylands University Library (University of Manchester), Manchester Manchester Medical Society Library North 2005
King's College London, City of Westminster Liddell Hart Military Archives London 2005
Kingston upon Hull City Museums and Art Galleries, Kingston upon Hull Hull Museums Collections Relating to the City and Region North 1999
Lambeth Palace Library, London The Manuscripts, Archives and Printed Books Collection London 2005
Lancashire County Museum Service, Preston Textile Industry Collection North 1999
Lapworth Museum of Geology (University of Birmingham), Birmingham Lapworth Museum of Geology Collections Midlands 2008
Leeds Museums and Galleries, Leeds Leeds Museums and Galleries Fine and Decorative Arts Collection North 1997
Leeds Museums and Galleries, Leeds Leeds Museums and Galleries Natural Sciences Collection North 1998
Leeds Museums and Galleries, Leeds Leeds Museums and Galleries Industrial Collections North 1999
Leeds University Special Collections Centre, Leeds The English Literature Collection North 2005
Leeds University Special Collections Centre, Leeds Gypsy, Traveller and Roma Collections North 2005
Leeds University Special Collections Centre, Leeds The Cookery Collection North 2005
Leeds University Special Collections Centre, Leeds The Leeds Russian Archive North 2005
Leeds University Special Collections Centre, Leeds The Liddle Collection North 2005
Library and Museum of Freemasonry, Freemasons Hall, London Library and Museum of Freemasonry Collections London 2007
Lincolnshire Archives, Lincoln Lincoln Episcopal Rolls and Registers Midlands 2005
Linnean Society of London, City of Westminster Library, Archive and Biological Specimen Collections London 2014
Liverpool and Merseyside Record Offices Liverpool Photographic Image Collection North 2006
London School of Economics and Political Science, London British Library of Political and Economic Science London 2005
London School of Economics and Political Science (Applied as London Metropolitan University), London The Women's Library London 2006
London Transport Museum, City of Westminster London Transport Museum Collection London 1997
Manchester City Galleries, Manchester Manchester City Galleries Fine and Decorative Art Collections North 1997
Manchester City Galleries, Manchester Manchester City Galleries Costume and Textile Collections North 1997
Manchester Museum, University of Manchester, Manchester Manchester Museum Collection North 1997
Mary Rose Trust, Portsmouth Mary Rose Museum Collection South West 1997
Middlesex University, Museum of Design and Domestic Architecture, London Silver Studio Collection London 2008
Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry Modern Records Centre Collections Midlands 2006
Museum of Design in Plastics, Arts University Bournemouth, Bournemouth Museum of Design in Plastics Collection South West 2021
Museum of London, City of London Museum of London Collection London 1997
Museum of Natural History (Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM) - University of Oxford), Oxford Museum of Natural History Collections South East 1997
Museum of the History of Science (Gardens, Libraries & Museums (GLAM) - University of Oxford), Oxford History of Science Museum Collections South East 1997
Museums Sheffield, Sheffield Sheffield Museums Metalwork Collections North 1999
National Football Museum, Manchester National Football Museum Collections North 2013
National Motor Museum, Beaulieu National Motor Museum Collection South West 1997
National Tramway Museum, Crich National Tramway Museum Collection Midlands 1997
Norfolk Museums Service, Norwich Norwich Castle Museum Collections South East 1998
Norfolk Record Office, Norwich History of Norfolk Archive South East 2005
Northampton Museum and Art Gallery Boot and Shoe Collection at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery Midlands 1998
Nottingham Museums (Heritage), Nottingham Lace and Lace Machinery Collections Midlands 2014
People's History Museum, Manchester People's History Museum Collection North 1998
Pitt Rivers Museum (Gardens, Libraries & Museums (GLAM) - University of Oxford), Oxford Pitt Rivers Collection South East 1997
Royal Academy of Arts, City of Westminster Royal Academy of Arts Collections, Library and Archives London 2011
Royal Academy of Music, City of Westminster Special Collections and Archives of the Royal Academy of Music Library London 2005
Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter World Cultures Collections at Royal Albert Memorial Museum South West 1998
Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter George Montagu Collection South West 2019
Royal College of Music, London Royal College of Music, Museum and Library Collections London 2020
Royal College of Surgeons of England, London Hunterian Museum Collection and the Archive and Library Collections London 2013
Royal Engineers Museum, Gillingham Royal Engineers Museum South East 1998
Royal Geographical Society (with Institute of British Geographers), City of Westminster Geographical Material Held by the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers London 2005
Royal Horticultural Society, City of Westminster Lindley Library Collection London 2011
Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), City of Westminster British Architecture Library London 2005
Royal Pavilion and Museums Brighton & Hove, Brighton and Hove Booth Museum Natural History Collection South East 1997
Royal Pavilion and Museums Brighton & Hove, Brighton and Hove Decorative Arts Collections Held by Royal Pavilion and Museums Brighton & Hove South East 1998
Royal Pavilion and Museums Brighton & Hove, Brighton and Hove World Art and Anthropology Collections Held by Royal Pavilion and Museums Brighton & Hove South East 1998
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon The Shakespeare Collection Midlands 2005
Sir John Soane's Museum, London Sir John Soane's Museum Collection London 1999
Southampton City Council Arts & Heritage, Southampton Fine Art Collections Held by Southampton City Council Arts & Heritage South West 1998
Southampton City Council Arts & Heritage, Southampton Archaeology Collections Held by Southampton City Council Arts & Heritage South West 1998
SS Great Britain, Bristol The SS Great Britain Collection South West 2014
St John's College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge The Old Library Collection Cambridge South East 2005
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service, Stafford Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service Collections Midlands 2011
Stoke-on-Trent Museums, Stoke-on-Trent The Stoke Museums Service Collections Midlands 1997
Telegraph Museum Porthcurno, Porthcurno Core Collection of Submarine Telegraphy Objects & the Historic Archive Collections of Key International Telegraph Cable Companies South West 2009
The Box (Plymouth Museums Galleries Archives), Plymouth The Cottonian Collection South West 1998
The Brontë Society, Haworth, Bradford The Brontë Parsonage Museum Collection North 2023
The Canal and River Trust, Ellesmere Port Canal and River Trust Collections at National Waterways Museum - Ellesmere Port and National Waterways Museum Gloucester South West 1998
The Cheltenham Trust, Cheltenham Arts and Craft Collection at The Wilson South West 1998
The Kimmeridge Trust, Kimmeridge The Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Marine Life South West 2020
The Mass Observation Archive, Brighton and Hove The Mass Observation Archive South East 2005
The Postal Heritage Trust, London The Records Relating to the Operation, Policy, Development and Social Impact of the British Post Office from 1636 to the resent Day (Held By the Royal Mail Archive) London 2005
The Royal Artillery Museum, Salisbury The Royal Artillery Collection South West 1999
The Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum Trust, Salisbury The Salisbury Museum Archaeology Collection South West 1998
The Tank Museum, Bovington Camp The Tank Museum Collection South West 1998
The Weiner Holocaust Library, London The Weiner Holocaust Library Collection London 2017
The Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere The Wordsworth Trust Collection North 1997
Torbay Museums Trust, Torquay Quaternary Cave Collection & Archive South West 2016
Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Carlisle The Natural Science Collections at Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery North 2018
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, Newcastle upon Tyne Shipbuilding, Maritime & Maritime Trade Archive Collections North 2006
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and Sunderland Museums & Heritage Service, Newcastle and Sunderland Science and Technology Collections North 1997
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and Sunderland Museums & Heritage Service, Newcastle and Sunderland Fine and Decorative Art Collections North 1998
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and Sunderland Museums & Heritage Service, Newcastle and Sunderland Natural Sciences Collections North 1998
Unilever Art, Archives & Records Management, Port Sunlight The Archive of the United Africa Company North 2005
University College London Culture, Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology Collection London 1998
University of Birmingham Libraries, Special Collection, Birmingham Mingana Collection of Middle Eastern Manuscripts Midlands 2005
University of Cambridge Museums & Botanic Garden, Cambridge Fitzwilliam Museum Collection South East 1997
University of Cambridge Museums & Botanic Garden, Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology Collections South East 1997
University of Cambridge Museums & Botanic Garden, Cambridge Whipple Museum of the History of Science Collections South East 1997
University of Cambridge Museums & Botanic Garden, Cambridge Cambridge University Museum of Zoology Collection South East 1998
University of Cambridge Museums & Botanic Garden, Cambridge Sedgwick Museum Collection South East 1998
University of Nottingham Libraries (Manuscripts & Special Collections), Nottingham The Portland (London) Collection; Portland of Welbeck Collection and Newcastle of Clumber Papers Midlands 2005
University of Nottingham Libraries (Manuscripts & Special Collections), Nottingham DH Lawrence Collection Midlands 2008
University of Reading (Special Collections), Reading The Beckett Collection South East 2005
University of Reading (Special Collections), Reading Archive of British Publishing and Printing South East 2006
University of Reading, Museum of English Rural Life, Reading The Museum of English Rural Life Archive, Library and Object Collections South East 1997
University of Bristol, Bristol University of Bristol Theatre Collection South West 2019
Weald and Downland Living Museum, Singleton, Chichester Weald and Downland Living Museum Collection South East 1998
Wellcome Trust, London The Wellcome Library London 2005
Westminster City Archives, City of Westminster Art and Design Collection London 2005
Whitworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester, Manchester Whitworth Art Gallery Collection of Textiles and Wallpaper North 1997
Whitworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester, Manchester Whitworth Art Gallery Collection of Fine Art North 1998
William Morris Gallery, London William Morris and Morris & Co. collection London 2017
Wiltshire Museum, Devizes Wiltshire Museum Collections South West 1997
York Museums Trust, York York Museums Trust Collections North 1997

See also

  • Designated landmark (US)
  • Designated place (Canada)
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