Report on the Committee's Inquiry in the Development of a Museums Policy for Northern Ireland : Second Report Together with the Minutes of Proceedings, Minutes of Evidence and Written Submissions Relating to the Report

At present the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure does not have a museums policy.

This report examines the impact of this lack of policy.

The Committee concludes that a policy needs to be developed, and the consensus from those who gave evidence was that without a policy in place, museums in Northern Ireland would miss opportunities to develop their potential to the maximum.

The key themes identified by the Committee include: need for greater integration between the local, council and national museums to create a cohesive museum sector; need for a cross-departmental approach to museums, so that the links between museums and education and tourism can be reinforced; the future of the Northern Ireland Museums Council; key elements of a museums policy, including vision, staffing and staff development, access, collections, education.