The Waterworks Museum – Hereford is delighted to announce that it has been awarded full accreditation from Arts Council England. An independent working museum concerned primarily, but not exclusively, with the story of the supply of water for public consumption from earliest habitation to the close of the 20th century.
Entirely run by volunteers, the vision is to be recognised as a specialist museum that brings industrial heritage to life. Full accreditation is the gold bar of the national standards and is the benchmark for well-run Museums and Galleries. It means that the Waterworks Museum– Hereford is properly managed and governed to the nationally agreed industry standard and shows the museum takes proper care of its collections, sharing them with visitors and keeping them safe for future generations.
Accreditation helps in opening doors to funding opportunities and will be significant in driving forward the Museums’ vision to thrive and grow as a specialist museum. Being a working museum with one of the widest ranges of working engines in the UK and home to the UK’s oldest in-situ working triple-expansion steam engine, it will enable access to advice and funding to develop greater accessibility to the collection and support life-long learning.
The Museum educates across the spectrum- not just the story of water and engineering- but also deals with contemporary issues relating to the environment and sustainability. Additionally, this accolade gives confidence to donors and sponsors who may wish to support the museum in preserving our heritage and inspiring future generations.
Accreditation covers museums of all types and sizes- from the smallest volunteer-run museums to national museums– and more than 1,700 museums are currently taking part in the scheme across the UK. More information about the Accreditation scheme can be found here.
“This is a real achievement for a small group of dedicated volunteers and deserves celebrating. It shows that the museum is adaptive as well as responsive to new challenges, where we can face the future with confidence in an environment that is an open, welcoming place for volunteers and visitors.”
Jill Phillips, Chair of Trustees and Governance Director at the Waterworks Museum Hereford
“We’re delighted that the Waterworks Museum– Hereford has been successful in gaining their accreditation status. This means that their Collections will be looked after and maintained offering inspiration, enjoyment and learning for the local community and visitors to enjoy now and in the future.”
Liz Johnson, Director Museums and Cultural Property at Arts Council England.
The Waterworks Museum is open to visitors every Tuesday from 11am to 4pm and various Sundays throughout the year, many with full steam and working engines. The Museum has a delightful, airy café with a selection of cakes and light lunches too.
The final steam day for 2023 is Saturday 28 October with a Halloween theme. Full details can be found on their website waterworksmuseum.org.uk