The first ever summit to examine the challenges faced by Scotland's museums sector is being held in Stirling today.
Culture Minister Michael Russell has convened the meeting which involves over 60 museum leaders from right across Scotland and the sector.
Today's meeting will focus of four themes: finding a sustainable future for Scotland's industrial museums; funding the right balance of roles, responsibilities and resources between national and local provision; articulating the sector's contribution to Scottish society; and, making best use of limited resources.
Michael Russell said:
"The challenges faced by the museums sector are long-standing and well-known. What I want to see is some resolution of these issues.
"This summit presents a real opportunity for new thinking about how we understand museums in Scotland, how we work together, and how best we can tell the story of this country and its people.
"While we have the Scottish Government's Recognition Scheme - which allows the 33 collections recognised as being of national significance to apply to a special funding stream - there remains an obvious divide between local and national provision of museum services. The gap in the middle is seeing many excellent and nationally significant museums and collections facing up to difficult challenges. A large part of today's discussion will be centred around this issue, which encompasses the position of the industrial museums, the status of voluntary museums and the unique situation of Glasgow's impressive collections.
"Equally importantly, we will be examining carefully how the museums sector can best work together to make the most of the finite resources available in this difficult economic climate."
Bailie Liz Cameron, Chair of Culture and Sport Glasgow, said:
"Everyone recognises the unique nature of Glasgow's museums and their importance to both the cultural and economic health of our nation.
"Today we are keen to share our experience and expertise with the whole museums sector. Glasgow has reinvented itself through investment in our cultural infrastructure and we now look forward to working with the Minister and others to fully realise the great potential of our collections."
Henry McLeish, Chair of the Scottish Mining Museum, said:
"I very much welcome the new minister's interest and this new initiative. In Scotland we have a first class industrial heritage to conserve and develop. Today is not about debating the worth of all of that; today is about working out how best the nation can develop a strategy and new policies for the future which can ensure this heritage takes its rightful place in Scottish society."
Michael Gondwe from Museums of Malawi will open the summit talking about his experience of managing museums with limited resources. He said:
"I am delighted to have been invited to speak at the museums summit. It is a wonderful opportunity to share the positive impacts that museums can have on people's lives."