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Annual Report and Accounts 2014−2015 Annual Report and Accounts 2014−2015 Science Museum Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester National Railway Museum in York and Shildon National Media Museum SCMG Enterprises Ltd HC 193 Science Museum Group Annual Report and Accounts 2014−2015 Report and Accounts presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 9(8) of the Museums and Galleries Act 1992 Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 16 July 2015 HC 193 Science Museum Group (SMG) members: (Formerly known as National Museum of Science & Industry) Science Museum Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester National Railway Museum in York and Shildon National Media Museum SCMG Enterprises Ltd © Science Museum Group 2015 The text of this document (this excludes, where present, the Royal Arms and all departmental and agency logos) may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium providing that it is reproduced accurately and not in a misleading context The material must be acknowledged as Science Museum Group copyright and the document title specified. Where third party material has been identified, permission from the respective copyright holder must be sought. Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at [email protected] You can download this publication from www.sciencemuseumgroup.ac.uk. Print ISBN 9781474122214 Web ISBN 9781474122221 Printed in the UK by the Williams Lea Group on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office ID 18061517 07/15 Printed on paper containing 75% recycled fibre content minimum SMG Annual Report and Accounts 2014−15 Contents 1 About the Science Museum Group 5 2 Review of 2014-15 and plans for the future 9 Science Museum 9 Museum of Science & Industry 15 National Railway Museum 19 National Media Museum 23 Science Museum Group-wide activity 27 Performance 31 3 Financial review 32 4 Remuneration report 34 5 Sustainability report 38 6 Statement of Board of Trustees’ and Director’s responsibilities 41 7 Governance statement 42 8 The certificate and report of the Comptroller and Auditor General to the Houses of Parliament 50 9 Annual accounts 2014-15 51 3 SMG Annual Report and Accounts 2014−15 4 SMG Annual Report and Accounts 2014−15 1. About the Science Museum Group Science Museum Group purpose and objectives The Science Museum Group (SMG) is devoted to the Our strategic objectives across the Group are to: history and contemporary practice of science, medicine, • Aspire to the highest international museum standards technology, industry and media. Its collections form an in the care and preservation of collections, scholarship, enduring record of scientific, technological and medical programming, learning and advocacy for our subject change since the 18th century. They are the largest, most areas comprehensive and most significant in their field anywhere • Strengthen our core narratives and deliver dynamic in the world. SMG incorporates the Science Museum, the gallery displays Science Museum Library and the Wellcome Collections of • Implement clear audience strategies that focus on the History of Medicine in South Kensington; the Museum providing life-enhancing experiences of Science & Industry (MSI) in Manchester; the National • Extend our reach nationally and internationally Railway Museum (NRM) in York and in Shildon; and the • Make optimum use of our estate National Media Museum (NMeM) in Bradford. Collections • Be an organisation that is extrovert, entrepreneurial, stores are located at Wroughton, Wiltshire; Blythe House in efficient and dedicated to the development of great West Kensington, London; and Brunel Avenue in Salford. people As defined in the 1983 National Heritage Act, SMG’s These objectives underpin all of SMG’s work and the charitable objectives are to: specific objectives and activities implemented at each of • Care for, preserve and add to the objects in its collections our museums. • Secure that the objects are exhibited to the public • Secure that the objects are available to persons seeking to inspect them in connection with study or research, and • Generally promote the public’s enjoyment and understanding of science and technology and of the development of those subjects, both by means of the Board’s collections and by such other means as they consider appropriate Taking due regard of the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit, the Trustees of SMG have agreed that the mission of SMG is to engage people in a dialogue about the history, present and future of human ingenuity in the fields of science, technology, medicine, transport and media. We will achieve this by aspiring to the highest international museum standards in the care and presentation of collections, programming, learning and advocacy for our subject areas. This informs all decision- making, future planning and the setting of strategic objectives. 5 SMG Annual Report and Accounts 2014−15 Science Museum Group history The Science Museum has its origins in the South Museum at Shildon was opened in 2004 in partnership Kensington Museum set up soon after the Great with Sedgefield Borough Council. The National Media Exhibition of 1851. The Museum of Science & Industry Museum was established in 1983 as the National Museum opened in 1969 as the North Western Museum of of Photography, Film & Television, with the support of Science and was registered as a charity in 1987. The Bradford City Council. The Science Museum collections National Railway Museum, which opened in 1975, was store at Wroughton, a former Second World War airfield, established as a result of the transfer of the British was made available to the museum by the Ministry of Transport Commission’s railway collection to the Board Defence in 1979. of Trustees of the Science Museum. The National Railway Science Museum Group legal status SMG was managed directly by Government until 1984, owned subsidiary trading company, SCMG Enterprises Ltd when the Board of Trustees of the Science Museum (company registration no. 2196149), set up in 1988 and was established under the National Heritage Act 1983. operating across all SMG museums. Bradford Film Ltd is Thereafter, the Museum ceased to operate as part of a a company limited by guarantee whose sole member is Government department. SMG now has the status of a SCMG Enterprises Ltd. MOSI was the public-facing name non-departmental public body (NDPB), operating within of the Greater Manchester Museum of Science & Industry the public sector but at arm’s length from its sponsor Trust (GMMSIT); the charity was a private company limited department, the Department for Culture, Media and by guarantee, a DCMS-sponsored body and an NDPB. The Sport (DCMS). These accounts fulfil the requirements of assets and undertakings of GMMSIT were transferred to the 1983 Act and the Museums and Galleries Act 1992. SMG on 31 January 2012. The assets and undertakings SMG is an exempt charity under the Second Schedule of of MOSI Enterprises Ltd, the wholly owned subsidiary of the Charities Act 1993, with DCMS acting as its principal GMMSIT, were transferred to SCMG Enterprises Ltd on 31 regulator for charity law purposes, and is recognised as March 2012. charitable by HM Revenue & Customs. SMG has a wholly 6 SMG Annual Report and Accounts 2014−15 Framework for operation Continuing receipt of Grant in Aid from DCMS is dependent upon SMG’s compliance with the DCMS/SMG Management Agreement 2012–2015. This sets out DCMS policy and financial requirements, which include the relevant provisions of Managing Public Money and such other guidance as the Treasury, Cabinet Office or DCMS have issued. It also describes the delegated powers and limits. A Funding Agreement between DCMS and SMG defines the commitments by each party periodically and can be found on the DCMS website. From 2012–13 SMG has taken on responsibility for distributing Grant in Aid to the National Coal Mining Museum for England (NCMME). This arrangement is governed by a Management Statement and Memorandum agreed between SMG and NCMME. NCMME retains its own Board of Trustees and continues to publish its own annual report of its activities, together with its audited annual accounts, no later than 31 December each year. NCMME is not considered a subsidiary undertaking for the purposes of group accounting and SMG does not exercise any control over, nor does it have any responsibility for, the operations of NCMME. 7 SMG Annual Report and Accounts 2014−15 Museum addresses Science Museum National Railway Museum National Media Museum Exhibition Road Leeman Road Pictureville London York Bradford SW7 2DD YO26 4XJ BD1 1NQ Museum of Science & Industry National Railway Museum at Shildon Liverpool Road Shildon Castlefield County Durham Manchester DL4 1PQ M3 5BG Company addresses Entity Registered Charity Registered office number registration SCMG Enterprises Ltd 2196149 – Science Museum Exhibition Road Bradford Film Ltd 3309258 – London (a company limited by guarantee) SW7 2DD List of SMG advisers SMG SCMG Enterprises Ltd Bradford Film Ltd Auditors Comptroller and Auditor General Grant Thornton UK LLP National Audit Office Grant Thornton House 157–197 Buckingham Palace Road Melton Street London SW1W 9SP London NW1 2EP Bankers Barclays Bank plc Barclays Bank plc Floor 27 Floor 27 1 Churchill Place 1 Churchill Place London E14 5HP London E14 5HP Solicitors Farrer & Co. CMS Cameron McKenna LLP Farrer & Co. 66 Lincoln’s Inn Fields Mitre House 66 Lincoln’s Inn Fields London WC2A 3LH 160 Aldersgate Street London WC2A 3LH London EC1A 4DD Trowers & Hamlins LLP 3 Bunhill Row London EC1Y 8YZ 8 SMG Annual Report and Accounts 2014−15 2. Review of 2014-15 and plans for the future Science Museum (SM) Objectives Achievements The Science Museum’s mission is to make sense of the This year there were 3.34 million visits to the Museum. In science that shapes our lives. This commitment drives 2014–15 we matched the previous year’s record-breaking everything we do.
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