Access to UK's cultural heritage is revolutionised by Museum Data Service launch

A transformative moment for the UK’s cultural sector took place this week as the Museum Data Service (MDS) officially launched, setting the stage for an unprecedented consolidation of the UK’s museum records. 

This ambitious initiative, funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) will provide a platform to bring together over 100 million object records from 1,750 accredited museums and other collections across the UK, unlocking an invaluable resource for researchers, educators, curators, and content developers. 

The MDS, a collaboration between Art UK, Collections Trust, and the University of Leicester, represents the realisation of a vision first conceived over a century ago. In 1888, curators proposed the idea of a “compendious index” to document the contents of museums nationwide. Over 100 years later, this vision has been realised through digital innovation, overcoming the historical challenges of disparate and often inaccessible offline databases.

Launched on Thursday 12 September, with an initial collection of 3,129,798 records from 21 museums, and with another 1,951,719 records already in the pipeline, the MDS is set to revolutionise the way museum data is managed and accessed. By creating a single, unified platform, the MDS enables museums to easily upload and securely manage their object records, whilst making it easy for users to search and retrieve records across multiple collections and diverse databases. This service is designed to be accessible for all museums, regardless of size, providing an inclusive and sustainable way to share and preserve the UK’s cultural heritage.

Jemma Read, Global Head of Corporate Philanthropy at Bloomberg said: "Bloomberg was founded on a belief in the power of data to drive transparency, efficiency and innovation so it's incredibly exciting that funding from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Digital Accelerator Programme has enabled the development of a project that applies the same vision to the UK's rich and dynamic cultural sector. The Museum Data Service promises to transform the UK's cultural digital infrastructure, and we're thrilled to be part of a collaboration that is breaking down industry silos to make this ambitious idea a reality." 

Professor Christopher Smith, Chair of the Arts & Humanities Research Council, said: “I am pleased that AHRC is funding this exemplary and world-leading piece of digital heritage infrastructure that will make our heritage sector better and more inclusive, as part of our commitment to supporting sustainable digital humanities right across our sectors.

“This major milestone in the full integration of modern technology and our rich cultural heritage will create a place where anyone can access the immense resources held by our museums.

“Not only will this open these resources up to the public in ways that would have been unimaginable even twenty years ago, but it will also enable museums to manage and share their data securely and sustainably.

While the MDS is primarily designed for institutional use, its impact will be far-reaching. Researchers in digital humanities will have unprecedented access to large-scale data sets, museum curators will find it easier to research objects for exhibitions, and developers will be able to transform raw data into engaging content for the general public. Meanwhile, short overviews of each collection will act as discoverability aids. The MDS also serves as a critical backup resource, especially for smaller collections that may lack robust digital infrastructures.

Also supporting the launch was Museums Minister, Sir Chris Bryant who said: "Museums are changing. They have always showcased the stories of how we came to be who we are today. But the Museum Data Service is another leap forward in museums' digital capabilities, expanding opportunities for research and collaboration, and preserving the rich history that our museums hold."

“The website view of the data is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Kevin Gosling, Museum Data Service Managing Director. “There’s a lot more going on in the back end, with innovative features that allow museums to manage their data securely and share it in a controlled way. Building trust across the sector is key, and the MDS is designed with that in mind.”

"The launch of the Museum Data Service is a landmark achievement for the cultural and academic sectors, offering a powerful new tool for researchers and curators," said Professor Nishan Canagarajah, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester.

"By centralising millions of museum records in one accessible platform, we are not just preserving history—we are making it easier to explore, study, and innovate. This project showcases the incredible potential of collaboration and digital infrastructure, and we're proud to lead the way with our partners in transforming how knowledge is shared across the UK."

Andrew Ellis, Art UK Director, said: “From Neolithic axe heads and Roman helmets to fossils, masterpieces of art, and iconic fashion pieces, the sheer range of object records that the MDS will house is extraordinary and will revolutionise our ability to research our museums, make them more accessible and tell untold stories about what they hold. Today marks the culmination of a remarkable collaboration, reshaping the digital future for museums and galleries. Art UK is proud to be among the first to leverage this groundbreaking service, which has already begun transforming how we manage and present our records. We look forward to seeing museums everywhere embrace this new frontier.”

Art UK as the first major user of MDS, will leverage its capabilities to double the number of artworks on its platform from 300,000 to 600,000 by year-end, with millions more to follow. This will be the first demonstration of how MDS data can be converted into a compelling, audience-facing offering, showcasing the potential of this groundbreaking service. While the MDS itself does not include images, it lays the foundation for onward users like Art UK to incorporate visual content, further enriching the public’s experience of the UK’s cultural treasures.

The development and sustainability of the MDS have been made possible through support from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Digital Accelerator Programme and the Arts & Humanities Research Council’s iDAH programme.