Northern Ireland Museums Council

The Northern Ireland Museums Council (NIMC) was established in 1993 to support the local museums of Northern Ireland in maintaining and improving their standards of collections care and public service. As a Non-Departmental Public Body, NIMC is primarily funded by the Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure. 

In 2011 the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure launched the Northern Ireland Museums Policy, which is now a key component in the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Programme for Government 2011-15.  This policy aims to develop the museum sector across four areas – Developing Audiences, Education and Learning, Collections, and Infrastructure and Resources. NIMC’s Corporate and Business Plans are structured around these four strategic areas.

The Council aims to:

• Support local museums in maintaining and developing high standards
• Champion the development of museums and their collections in Northern Ireland
• Work with the sector to enhance access to museums as places of learning, enjoyment and personal development
• Strengthen the skills and knowledge of the people working in the sector
• Demonstrate the benefits and impact of museums on the social, cultural and economic life of Northern Ireland
• Run the Council in an effective and efficient manner

To these ends, the Council provides:

• Advice and information
• Training
• Grant-aid
• Support for collections care and public services
• Advocacy for museums and co-ordination of development