ABSTRACT
The system of registering all museums which had reached set criteria was brought in by the Museums and Galleries Commission (MGC) in 1988. It has had a significant impact on museum standards in the UK. It has lifted awareness of collection management and encouraged museums to upgrade the documentation of their collections. It has also helped many museums in the private sector to revise their constitutions, so that their collections and long-term well-being are better secured. Of especial note, the scheme has had a marked influence on the way museums perceive themselves, and has brought both pride in accomplishment and an enhanced sense of professional identity.
