The Bournemouth Natural Science Society receives Museum Accreditation

Bournemouth Natural Science Society’s impressive Victorian building

The Bournemouth Natural Science Society (BNSS) is thrilled to announce its successful application to the Museum Accreditation Scheme. Our Museum Committee has been working hard for a long time to get our documents in order and up to scratch, and it is a credit to them that we are now an Accredited Museum.

The origins of the BNSS actually go back 150 years, with the 19^th century passion for collecting natural objects. These early collections are now housed in the Society’s Victorian villa at 39 Christchurch Road, which is open to the public on Tuesday mornings, between 10am and 12.30pm. From archaeology to zoology, the BNSS has something to inspire and amaze!

Accreditation is granted by the Arts Council England (ACE) to museums that meet the stringent requirements imposed by their Accreditation Standard. The BNSS joins the 1,800 other museums participating in the scheme, working to manage their collections effectively for the enjoyment and benefit of users. Our Accreditation status will be renewed every three years to ensure that we are keeping up to standard.

Steve Limburn, Ray Chapman, and Maklcolm Hadley with the BNSS Accreditation certificate

And the work doesn’t stop here! We are continuing to catalogue and photograph our collections and make them more accessible to the community. As well as our regular Tuesday morning sessions, we also run two open days during the year. The next one is coming up on Saturday 16^th April, in collaboration with the Dorset Wildlife Trust. Our Young Explorers group meets once a month, and we welcome educational visits from organisations and groups of all ages.

Of course, none of this would be possible without our wonderful and dedicated volunteers and members, who give their time and enthusiasm to make the BNSS what it is. A huge thank you goes out to them for making this success happen.

If you would like to learn any more about the BNSS, visiting times, membership, or volunteer opportunities, please contact Katherine West, Communications Officer at publicity@bnss.org.uk.