Stoke Bruerne Museum given Arts Council national award

The Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne is delighted to announce it has recently been awarded Accredited Museum Status by Arts Council England.

Owned and run by us, the museum was judged on the same set of standards as the Natural History and the British Museum.

The accreditation has been given to 1,800 museums in the UK and indicates that a museum has achieved a nationally approved standard in management, collections care and delivery of information and visitor services.

The museum is housed in a restored corn mill at the top of a flight of canal locks on the Grand Union Canal and has been opened to the public since 1963. Run by our staff and volunteers, visitors to the museum can follow the story of Britain’s canals, from the great engineers and navvies who created them to the boat families, leggers and lock keepers who lived and worked on the canal.

As part of the award the museum was judged on a number of different categories from how the objects entrusted in the museum’s care are displayed and stored to the health and safety of staff, volunteers and visiting public.

Vicky Martin, waterways manager said: “Staff and volunteers from the Canal & River Trust worked tirelessly throughout the year towards gaining this accreditation so we are delighted that all that hard work has paid off and the Canal Museum has been recognised with this fantastic award.

“Stoke Bruerne is a lovely stop along the Grand Union Canal and with two pubs, the museum and café as well as boat trips in Blisworth Tunnel, it’s a lovely place to visit for a morning or afternoon. Looking after the museum is a real village affair and we couldn’t do the work we do without the help of local people donating their time or money and we’re really grateful for all their support.”