A single mishandled artefact, a storeroom with the wrong humidity level, or a collection record that was never digitised can undo decades of careful preservation in a matter of days. Running a museum or heritage site well is less about the objects on display and more about everything invisible that keeps them safe, documented, and accessible for the next generation. The Museum & Heritage Site Management Training Course, delivered by Arab British Fellowship Training Academy, equips managers and specialists with the operational discipline that sits behind every well-run cultural institution.

The course covers the full range of what keeps a museum or heritage site functioning: collections care and documentation, conservation and preventive maintenance, visitor services and exhibition design, and the marketing and funding work that keeps institutions financially sustainable. Participants also look at how heritage sites intersect with cultural tourism and governance, so they leave able to run institutions that are authentic, well-managed, and built to last.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Apply the operational and organisational foundations of museum and heritage site management
• Classify, register, and document collections while managing acquisition and storage risk
• Apply preventive conservation principles for collections and historic buildings
• Design exhibitions and interpretation that present heritage clearly and engagingly
• Manage visitor services and measure satisfaction across the cultural experience
• Build institutional marketing, funding, and resource development strategies
• Govern heritage institutions with performance indicators and long-term planning

Target Group

• Museum and heritage site managers responsible for daily operations
• Collections, conservation, and documentation professionals
• Cultural heritage, tourism, and cultural programme specialists
• Government and institutional professionals responsible for heritage protection

Module 1: Running a Museum Day to Day

• Core functions and responsibilities of museum and heritage site management
• Organisational structures and division of responsibilities
• Operational policies and governance basics for cultural institutions

Module 2: Protecting and Documenting the Collection

• Classification, registration, and documentation of collections
• Acquisition, loan, transport, and storage policies
• Digital databases and standards for accurate, accessible records

Module 3: Conservation — Keeping the Past Intact

• Principles of preventive conservation for collections and heritage assets
• Environmental factors affecting collections and historic buildings
• Maintenance planning and condition monitoring

Module 4: Designing Experiences Visitors Remember

• Visitor route planning and admission management
• Exhibition design and arrangement of collections within museum spaces
• Digital media and interactive technologies in interpretation

Module 5: Building the Institution's Profile and Funding

• Institutional identity and marketing for museums and heritage sites
• Digital platforms and social media for reaching wider audiences
• Revenue sources, sponsorship, and financial sustainability planning

Module 6: Heritage Sites, Tourism, and the Road Ahead

• Managing heritage sites for tourism while preserving authenticity
• Balancing conservation requirements with visitor access
• Governance, performance indicators, and long-term development plans