The Hockey Museum (THM) is celebrating after the announcement that Arts Council England has awarded it Full Museum Accreditation.

Accreditation is granted by the Arts Council England (ACE) to museums that meet the stringent requirements imposed by their Accreditation Standard. It enables museums to assess their current performance, and it supports them in planning and developing their services. The scheme is regarded as one of the most innovative and effective developments in the museum sector; it has led the way in raising museum standards in the UK and has been used as a model and source of inspiration for similar schemes overseas. THM joins 1,800 other museums participating in the scheme, working to manage its collections effectively for the enjoyment and benefit of its supporters and the wider public.

THM Chair of Trustees, Katie Dodd says, “The Trustees and volunteers were delighted to hear the great news that the THM had been awarded this status and it is a public recognition of all the work that has been put in by our curatorial team and volunteers to improve. The Museum has changed significantly since we embarked on this journey as we have undergone a major redevelopment project that has included the recent move to new premises in Woking and the opening of our first in-house exhibition from June. We are thrilled that the Arts Council has made this award and we look forward to using the Accreditation scheme as a tool for developing the Museum further in the coming years”.

For THM this is not the end of our ambitions. The award of Full Accreditation acknowledges that THM is on the right path but we must continue to improve and evolve in order to maintain our new status. We are continuing the work to catalogue and photograph our collections and make them more accessible to the community. We are currently open to the public on Wednesdays but will open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from June. There are plans for a series of Open Days over the coming months and, if there is sufficient demand following our relocation, the Museum may look to open on additional days in the future too.

Of course, none of this would be possible without our dedicated volunteers and supporters, who give their time and enthusiasm to make the THM what it is. A huge thank you goes out to them for helping to make this success happen. The generous support of England Hockey and the International Hockey Federation should also be acknowledged as we work with them to promote and celebrate the fascinating heritage of our sport. We are grateful, too, to Woking Borough Council for their continued support, to Liz May our Museum Mentor, the team at South East Museum Development Programme and to our many other partners who work with us in a range of ways.

If you would like to learn any more about what we do, visiting times, membership or volunteer opportunities, please continue to explore our website or contact THM through our online form.