The International Council of Museums (ICOM) is hosting a webinar on 22 May to share the findings, resulting outcomes and recommendations from its report, Museum Bridge.
The report, which proposes a new model for sustainable worldwide museum partnerships, is the result of a collaboration between ICOM UK and the British Council formed in 2025.
This sought to commission a significant new piece of research to examine why, and what, the UK museum space requires to build better, stronger, fairer and effective connections with its peers around the world. The initial outcomes proposed the development of the Museum Bridge framework.
The report will be discussed in detail in this online session on 22 May, 10 am to 11.30 am BST. The webinar will be hosted by ICOM UK and led by City Global Futures, which undertook the research.
To register to attend, please click here.
The research process
With this research, ICOM UK and the British Council aimed to explore how UK museums are currently engaging in international partnerships, the conditions that support and inhibit international collaborations, and how the ICOM and British Council networks could better support UK museums in their partnerships.
It would then be used to develop a practical, scalable set of options to enable fair and sustainable partnerships.
To achieve these objectives, they appointed City Global Futures, a consultancy known for its values-led approach, following an open tender process.
The research was conducted between May and November 2025 and included interviews with approximately 30 professionals in the museum sector.
An email survey, titled Connecting Museums Internationally, was then sent to over 3,000 individuals and organisations in the UK and worldwide to members of ICOM UK and the British Council’s distribution lists.
This elicited 82 responses, 49% of which were from individuals in the UK. 40% were from respondents in curatorial or collections roles, with 38% from senior leaders and 22% from other museum professionals.
Additionally, 32% of responses were from national museums, with 18% regional or local institutions, and 16% independent or charity-run. 6% were from universities, and a further 28% from other or mixed museums.
In November 2025, three online workshops hosted participants from eight countries to discuss and refine emerging research recommendations. These shared discussions led to the title, Museum Bridge, and a series of initial recommendations.
As a result, the language used in the report reflects the perspectives and preferences of research participants and is intended to represent their views as accurately as possible.
The findings
During the research period, respondents' answers to more than 30 questions revealed clear patterns and trends.
The key outcomes included the creation of a model for equitable exchange of thematic and practical expertise that would prioritise capacity building, invest in digital inclusion, and highlight and support climate action.
The model should also embed decolonisation and restitution across all museum activities, and facilitate equity with particular emphasis on visibility for regional, independent and Global South institutions.
Additionally, it identified an outcome to develop a blended funding model to deliver Museum Bridge, including public funding, sector contributions, and philanthropic support.
To read the report in full, please click here.
This research marks a significant first step for Museum Bridge, with further sharing and consultation to take place as the initiative progresses.
Last month, ICOM UK hosted its annual conference in Oxford, bringing together delegates from over 20 different countries to explore the theme of Museum Diplomacy.
Rebecca Hardy has over 10 years' experience in the culture and heritage sector. She studied Fine Art at university and has written for a broad range of creative organisations including artists, galleries, and retailers. When she's not writing, she spends her time getting lost in the woods and making mud pies with her young son.
