Museums Association facts for kids
Logo for the Association, used since 2020
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| Abbreviation | MA |
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| Formation | 1889 |
| Legal status | Non-profit company |
| Purpose | Museum, Gallery and Heritage |
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Region served
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UK |
| Website | museumsassociation.org |
The Museums Association (often called the MA) is a group for people who work in museums, art galleries, and heritage sites across the United Kingdom. It's based in London and also welcomes members from other countries. The MA helps these professionals learn and grow in their jobs.
Contents
How the Museums Association Started
The Museums Association began a long time ago in 1889. A small group of museums created it to look after the interests of museums and galleries. Their very first meeting happened in York on June 20, 1889. The MA is actually the oldest museum association in the whole world!
What the Museums Association Does
The main goal of the MA is to inspire museums to make a real difference in people's lives. They speak up for museums and help them follow good rules. They also offer training and ways for members to improve their skills and careers.
Helping Museums and People
The MA believes museums can change lives in many ways. They explore how museums can help with people's wellbeing, make better places to live, and share ideas and knowledge with everyone. This idea is part of their "Museums Change Lives" campaign.
Activities and Projects
The Museums Association organizes many activities to support its members and the museum world.
Annual Conference
Each year, the MA holds a big conference. This event is the largest of its kind in Europe for people who work in museums and heritage. It's a great place for professionals to meet, share ideas, and learn new things.
Publications
Members of the MA receive the Museums Journal every month. This magazine shares news and articles about museums. The MA also creates Museum Practice online. This website shows examples of good work and best practices from museum experts across the UK. It also lets users share their own ideas.
Supporting Collections
The MA works with the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation to help museum collections. They created the Esmee Fairbairn Collections Fund. This fund helps museums take care of their collections and use them in new ways.
Checking on UK Museums
The MA keeps track of how well UK museums are doing. They do this through their yearly survey called Museums in the UK. This survey helps them understand the health and challenges of museums across the country.
Looking to the Future
In 2012, the MA started a project called "Museums 2020." The goal was to imagine what museums would be like in the future. They wanted to focus on how museums could impact individuals, communities, society, and the environment.
Transformers Scheme
The MA launched a program called "Transformers" in 2014. This program helps people who are already working in museums. It encourages them to think differently and try new, experimental ideas. Participants learn from experts and innovators to change how they work.
Collections 2030
In 2018, the MA began a research project called "Collections 2030." This project looks at the long-term goals for museum collections. It explores how collections should be used and managed in the future.
Membership
The MA has many members! Over 8,000 people are individual members. There are also 580 institutional members (like museums themselves) and 250 corporate members (businesses).
The MA offers a special program to help members grow professionally. This includes mentors and regular training events. If someone is an "Associate of the Museums Association," they can use "AMA" after their name. A "Fellow of the Museums Association" can use "FMA."
How the MA is Run
The Museums Association gets its money from its members. It is managed by a group of trustees. These trustees are elected by the members and come from all parts of the UK museum community. In April 2018, Maggie Appleton became the president. She is also the CEO of the RAF Museum.
See also
- MDA (formerly the Museum Documentation Association)
- British Association of Friends of Museums
- Irish Museums Association
