Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA)

MLA, Victoria House, Southampton Row, London, WC1B 4EA, England

The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) is the lead strategic agency for museums, libraries and archives. We are part of the wider MLA Partnership, working with the nine regional agencies to improve people’s lives by building knowledge, supporting learning, inspiring creativity and celebrating identity. The Partnership acts collectively for the benefit of the sector and the public, leading the transformation of museums, libraries and archives for the future.

MLA was launched in April 2000 as the strategic body working with and for museums, archives and libraries, tapping into the potential for collaboration between them. The new organisation replaced the Museums and Galleries Commission (MGC) and the Library and Information Commission (LIC), and includes archives within its portfolio.

MLA's mission is to connect people and change lives through museums, libraries and archives.

We are a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Our strategic aims are to:

* Increase and sustain participation

* Put museums, libraries and archives at the heart of national, regional and local life

* Establish a world class and sustainable sector and put it on the best footing for the future

* Lead sector strategy and policy development

* To do all this we work in partnership and through collaboration with government departments, national and international organisations, and with umbrella bodies and other NDPBs and development agencies.

We work with nine Regional MLAs as our key strategic partners in the English regions, and we work closely with our equivalent bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.