1. The value of museum collections to the community “The way that collections are developed, used, interpreted and documented all has a bearing on their perceived relevance to communities and individuals” Understanding the Future: Museums and 21st Century Life - The value of Museums - DCMS - 2005

2. Building Social Capital People’s interaction with collections stimulates the development of new skills, new attitudes and new awareness.

3. Civic Pride “Museums and their collections provide an expression of a town or city’s pride in itself and standing in the nation.” A Manifesto for Museums

4. Celebrating Local Identity & Sense of Place The collections in Aberdeenshire’s Museums’ celebrate and preserve local histories. This imbues a sense of belonging, identity and kinship within communities. Thus nurturing the reciprocal relationship between museum collections and the community that inspires life and relevancy into them.

5. Democratic value Democratic participation and involvement with the museum and its collections by the local community is essential. The Curatorial Officer can achieve this by working in partnership with:-

6. Cultural Diversity & Social Inclusion Museums as community spaces. Museums as community spaces. The use of collections in finding relevancy with excluded sectors of community. The use of collections in finding relevancy with excluded sectors of community. Collections contribute to the cultural mix of a location which enhances its appeal to both existing residents and newcomers. Collections contribute to the cultural mix of a location which enhances its appeal to both existing residents and newcomers.

7. Community cohesion Communities coming together to work with collections

8. Sustainable communities Culture-led regeneration. - Delivering for communities with communities. Culture-led regeneration. - Delivering for communities with communities. Community empowerment - Leading to individual and group development and lifelong learning, building social capital. Community empowerment - Leading to individual and group development and lifelong learning, building social capital. USP - or museum as unique selling point, for attracting economic regeneration through tourist and business investments. USP - or museum as unique selling point, for attracting economic regeneration through tourist and business investments.

9. Collections are central to everything that museums do and all that they might achieve. CONCLUSION Wonder and Awe Exploration Learning Experiences Stimulation Community Identity Therefore the value of museum collections to the community is immeasurable “Collections for the Future” - Museums Association