Scotland’s Recognition Scheme celebrates and promotes Nationally Significant Collections, beyond those held in our national museums and galleries. 

Scotland currently has 51 collections that have been Recognised as Nationally Significant, which are cared for by museums throughout Scotland, from Shetland to Dumfries and Galloway. The wide variety of Recognised Collections reflect centuries of effort to preserve and interpret our past, including collecting practices reflective of contemporary Scotland. Collectively, the Recognised Collections showcase the immense diversity in Scotland’s museum and galleries collections.

Read more about Scotland’s Recognised Collections.

Find out about the Recognition Scheme application process. 

For Recognised Collection Holders:

Download the Recognised Collections brand guidelines. 

Our understanding of our world and our history does not stagnate. As our ideas of what’s important and significant evolve, so will Scotland’s Recognised Collections. In 2022, South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture’s Sir Harry Lauder Museum Collection became the 51st collection to be recognised as Nationally Signification to Scotland. 

Museums Galleries Scotland has been managing the Recognition Scheme on behalf of the Scottish Government since the initiative began in 2006. In 2014, we commissioned the Evaluation of the Recognition Scheme and Fund . The Recognition Fund has since closed. We continue to regularly review how we operate the Recognition Scheme.

In 2023, a major review of the Recognition Scheme was carried out. The recommendations from the review have been accepted by the Scottish Government, and the Recognition Committee and MGS are currently developing plans to implement these recommendations.

In 2023, a major review of the Recognition Scheme was conducted. This is in acknowledgement of the scheme having existed since 2007, and the sector operating in a drastically different context since that time. There is a need for the scheme to fully represent current sector priorities, and to respond to sector challenges.

The Recognition Scheme is owned by the Scottish Government, and the recommendations of the review were approved by the government in 2024. The review report will be published here in early 2025.

The review recommendations are concerned with scheme processes and collections management. Existing collection holders will be able to access support from MGS and the Recognition Committee for any recommended changes which affect collections management directly.

To read the report, please click on the link below:

Recognition Review report

Holding a Recognised Collection commits your organisation and your governing body to meeting the objectives of the scheme. Objectives are assessed during Recognised Collection annual returns. The Recognition Scheme objectives are: 

• to raise awareness and appreciation of the Nationally Significant Collections, maximising their potential to celebrate Scotland’s culture – locally, nationally, and internationally 
• to ensure the longevity of Nationally Significant Collections by raising standards in collections care and management 
• to strengthen resourcing for the long term sustainability of the Nationally Significant Collections 
• to inspire and deliver new forms of access to and public engagement with the Nationally Significant Collections
• to support holders of Nationally Significant Collections to increase their leadership of and contribution to the sector through innovation, ambition, collaboration, and partnership working 

Any Accredited, non-national museum can apply to the Recognition Scheme. Your application must clearly show why your collection is nationally significant and also include letters of support from researchers, staff members, academics, and other users of your collection.

You’ll have six months to complete your application, following a Note of Interest. Expert advisers are appointed to review and assess each application. Their report is used in the deliberations of the Recognition Committee to help inform their decision. 

Find out more about applying to the scheme.

Please note, new applications to the scheme are currently closed whilst the scheme is being reviewed. This is due to reopen to new applicants in 2025.