01 Identity
Scottish charity record
- OSCR charity number
- SC015593
- Status
- Active
- Regulatory type
- Standard
- Designated religious body
- No
- Geographical spread
- Operations cover all or most of Scotland
- Volunteers
- 0 volunteers
- Staff
- 39
- Postcode
- EH2 3DN
02 Purpose and work
What the charity exists to do
MGS is the National Development Body for the Scottish museums sector. We support 450 museums and galleries through strategic investment, advice, advocacy , skills development and other means. In collaboration with the museums and galleries sector and a wide range of partners we lead the delivery of Scotland's Museums and Galleries Strategy. Our vision is that Scotland's museums and galleries are thriving, connected and resilient organisations which are agile in embracing change. As an independent charity we receive core funding from Scottish Government which also provides funding to be distributed via grants directly to the museums and galleries sector. Our impact is enhanced by project-based funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Art Fund and People's Postcode Trust.
Charitable purposes
- the advancement of education
- the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science
Beneficiaries
- No specific group, or for the benefit of the community
Activities
- It makes grants, donations or gifts to organisations
- It carries out activities or services itself
Constitutional objectives
(a) to advance culture, heritage and education through the promotion and support of museums and art galleries which are situated in Scotland (such museums and art galleries and their collections to be hereinafter referred to as 'museums''), and by enabling the preservation of heritage and culture in Scotland for the public benefit. and (b) to promote such similar charitable purposes, objects or institutions in such proportions and manner as the directors shall think fit
03 Annual returns
Income and expenditure history
| Year end | Income | Expenditure | Staff | Return received |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2025 | £4,140,539 | £4,004,867 | 39 | 24 October 2025 |
| 31 March 2024 | £4,191,740 | £4,088,737 | 39 | 16 December 2024 |
| 31 March 2023 | £5,301,329 | £9,184,895 | 39 | 19 September 2023 |
| 31 March 2022 | £10,002,226 | £6,896,357 | 39 | 27 October 2022 |
| 31 March 2021 | £11,161,236 | £10,490,010 | 39 | 30 September 2021 |
Figures are those reported by the charity and supplied in the OSCR bulk download. Blank facts remain distinct from zero.
04 Contact record
Principal office or trustees address
- Address supplied to OSCR
- 33 Castle Street, Edinburgh
- Website supplied to OSCR
- www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk
- Parent charity
- Not supplied
No direct external links on this profile. The official OSCR record and source documentation are available through BritDB’s dedicated source page.
05 Provenance
Source for this profile
© Crown Copyright and database right 2026. Contains information from the Scottish Charity Register supplied by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. BritDB is an independent service and does not claim to be the Scottish Charity Register.