Craven museums win national recognition (From Craven Herald)

Craven museums win national recognition

4:00pm Friday 9th April 2010 in News

Two Craven museums have won national recognition.

The Museum of North Craven Life, based at The Folly, Settle, and the Upper Wharfedale Folk Museum at Grassington have been awarded official accreditation by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA).

The accreditation is the culmination of a year of hard work.

“Being awarded accreditation is an impressive achievement,” said Andrew Motion, chairman of MLA. “It recognises the high standard and service that both museums provide and acknowledges the hard work of staff.”

Both museums are run by volunteers, who drew on the expertise of staff at Craven District Council’s Craven Museum and Gallery in Skipton.

Coun Ken Hart, lead member for culture at the council, said: “Both museums have worked really hard to gain this accreditation which is well-deserved.”

The accreditation scheme shows museums are being run to agreed standards, which includes how they look after their collections and what services they provide for visitors.

Anne Read, curator for the Museum of North Craven Life, said: “This accreditation award coincides with our tenth season at the Folly, so it’s a double celebration for us.

“I would like to pass on special thanks to Andrew Mackay and Anna Bowman, of the Craven Museum and Gallery, for the immense encouragement, support and practical help they gave us throughout the application process. Robin McDermott, our regional accreditation officer, was also a tower of strength.”

Derek Williamson, chairman of the Upper Wharfedale Museum Society, said: “A number of committee members and volunteers have contributed greatly to attaining accreditation and we now look forward to maintaining our standards and sharing the benefits which accreditation can bring.”

The museum is currently trying to raise funds to make its collections more available to the public and provide improved facilities for researchers and volunteers. Its first fundraising event is a coffee morning to be held at Church House, Grassington, on Saturday April 24.