Mission Statement & Strategy

Mission Statement & Strategy

The Strategic Plan has been developed around Milton Keynes Museum’s Mission Statement and the supporting aims set out below.

Our Vision

We aim to build a welcoming and inspirational museum that plays an active role in the lives of all the people of Milton Keynes, now and in the future.

Mission Statement

To inspire and encourage people to learn about and enjoy the heritage of Milton Keynes and to foster pride in the community by engaging people actively with the Museum’s collections, buildings and grounds.

Values

The core values of Milton Keynes Museum are to treat staff, volunteers and visitors with dignity and respect and to work in an ethical and transparent manner.

Objectives

To tell the whole story of Milton Keynes

  • MK Museum will add to the scope and range of the Museum to tell the complete story of the local area and the social history of the people from prehistoric time to the present day. We plan to open two new galleries as soon as possible and within the five-year time-frame of this plan.
  • The Museum will become an essential visitor destination, with the objective of becoming a source of pride for the people of Milton Keynes. We will increase our outreach and engagement activity to better connect with the current diverse population of MK residents.  We will use and display our Collection in ways that all the senses, especially touch, are used to aid understanding.

To deliver a unique, hands-on experience to visitors, engaging people actively with the Museum’s collections, buildings, and grounds. 

  • We will provide an entertaining day out and have a positive and lasting impact on visitors – encouraging their return. Interaction with artefacts builds a personal connection between viewer and object, while discussion with the Room Guides adds an extra layer of meaning. We will retain and develop the hands-on approach. Virtual reality will be used to enhance the experience and context of the artefacts. Digital experiences will also be used to tell the background or contextual stories.
  • We will enhance our contemporary collecting policy to include artefacts that illustrate the stories we want to tell in the Museum.
  • We will continue site development projects to improve the fabric of the buildings and the increase the use of the open spaces.

To retain volunteers at the heart of the Museum

  • We will put the visitor experience first with one-to-one interaction between volunteers and visitors. This is highly valued and will be reviewed to ensure that the standard is maintained.
  • We will enhance Volunteer recruitment, induction, training and retention. The recruitment plan will define the number of volunteers required to support increasing visitor numbers, the skills required in our support staff and key succession planning.
  • We will provide a dedicated rest and training room for staff and volunteers in the next phase of development. 

To engage with, communicate effectively with and influence all interested parties.

  • We will enhance community engagement and encourage diversity. We aim to be an essential part of the culture of Milton Keynes as an outward-looking heritage organisation; developing stronger links with local communities, helping to attract non-museum-going residents through collaboration and participative schemes.
  • We will introduce a marketing and promotion plan that will promote the name, brand, and offer of the Museum to a broader audience. We will collect evidence of visitor profiles and engagement with the diverse community of MK residents.

To operate a well-governed organisation

  • We will increase the use of Task Groups and Sub Committees to work on specific topics. We will invite participation by independent experts and collaboration with other bodies to benefit from their experience.
  • We will develop robust succession planning through the recruitment of suitably skilled trustees, team leaders and senior management.

To ensure financial stability 

  • We will develop plans and budgets to produce income that broadly covers Operational Expense. In addition. we will seek grant funding to cover Capital Projects including the completion of the two New Galleries and site development works.
  • We will seek appropriate funding opportunities in line with MKM’s aims and objectives by the recruitment of a dedicated Business Development and Fundraising manager.