Standards
Part of our core role is to develop and maintain professional standards in trust on behalf of the museums sector. Our work in standards goes back over 25 years, and for the past 10 years we have been responsible for maintaining SPECTRUM, the UK and international standard for Collections Management.
SPECTRUM is recognised both nationally and internationally as the industry standard for Collections Management. Now in its 3rd, revised edition, SPECTRUM has been developed in partnership with over 100 museum professionals.
An Open Standard
SPECTRUM is an open standard which we hold in trust on behalf of UK museums. The Collections Trust is funded in England by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, in Scotland by the Scottish Museums Council and in Wales by CyMAL to make SPECTRUM available free of charge for non-commercial use by museums.
You can find out more about SPECTRUM by visiting the SPECTRUM FAQ. We have also provided a short history of the development of the revised edition on the SPECTRUM Development page.
SPECTRUM is available for download as an electronic document. To obtain a copy you will first need to read and agree to the terms of the SPECTRUM licence.
If you are interested in producing a commercial product based on the SPECTRUM standard, you will need to get involved with our SPECTRUM Partners Scheme and obtain a commercial licence from us.
Museum Accreditation Scheme
National Maritime Museum Cornwall.*
The first museum to gain Accredited status.
The Museum Accreditation Scheme is the national minimum standard scheme for museums. Developed from the Registration Scheme, it sets out a clear benchmark for the delivery of museum services. The Scheme is administered in England by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and by the Northern Ireland Museums Council, Scottish Museums Council and CyMAL in the Home Nations.
SPECTRUM is embedded in the Accreditation Scheme as part of its minimum documentation requirement for UK museums. This is drawn from the 8 SPECTRUM 'primary' procedures - i.e. those with which every museum must comply, in order to ensure that they have a basic, accountable, documentation system.
You can find out more about the Museum Accreditation Scheme, and download a copy of the guidelines, from the MLA website at http://www.mla.gov.uk.
(*Photograph by kind permission of the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, photographer Bob Berry.)
SPECTRUM Terminology
Enquirers to the Collections Trust often ask, 'Where can I find a terminology on...?' With this in mind, we have created this section of our website. It's an important development of our mission to be the UK's lead organisation on Collections Management.
SPECTRUM Terminology contains:
- Terminology Essentials - general information about terminology for museums;
- Terminology Studio - guidance on creating thesauri;
- Terminology Bank - a set of existing standard terminologies.
