High standards set for museums

Museums including the Victoria and Albert will take part in the scheme

A scheme to ensure that high standards are maintained in the UK's museums is being launched on Thursday.

The initiative will govern how museums look after their collections and the information their visitors should expect to receive.

The scheme is expected to become a "kite-mark" of quality for the smallest to largest institutions.

Arts minister Estelle Morris will launch the new MLA (Museums, Libraries and Archives) scheme in London.

The accreditation scheme will place a greater emphasis on services for museum visitors from home and abroad.

It will update and revise a set of guidelines which are already in place.

Ms Morris has said it is important that cultural institutions have "basic minimum requirements".

Safeguarding collections

"I'm delighted that the museum community has come together to agree these new industry standards", she said.

"By working together in this way, museums will be able to meet the needs of today's visitors, while safeguarding their collections for future generations," she added.

The MLA's chairman Mark Wood said the move is in response to the dramatic developments in the museum sector in recent years.

"We know so much more about how to care for objects, and collections and exhibitions are more exciting and engaging today than ever before," he said.