Home Countries United Kingdom Education Museums Galleries Scotland
Museums Galleries Scotland logo

Museums Galleries Scotland

Edinburgh, Scotland Reg: SC015593 (Charity Commission) Sign up to see website
Claim this charity
Ready to give?
100% goes to Museums Galleries Scotland

GiveRadar doesn't take a cut. We couldn't find a direct donate page, so visit their site.

Visit www.museumsgalleriessco…
53
Integrity Assessment
Partial transparency
53/100 · methodology

About Museums Galleries Scotland

MGS is the National Development Body for the Scottish museums sector. We support 450 museums and galleries through strategic investment, advice, advocacy , skills development and other means. In collaboration with the museums and galleries sector and a wide range of partners we lead the delivery of Scotland's Museums and Galleries Strategy. Our vision is that Scotland's museums and galleries are thriving, connected and resilient organisations which are agile in embracing change. As an independent charity we receive core funding from Scottish Government which also provides funding to be distributed via grants directly to the museums and galleries sector. Our impact is enhanced by project-based funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Art Fund and People's Postcode Trust. 'the advancement …

Founded
Headquarters
Edinburgh, Scotland
Foundation type
Charitable Company

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar education in United Kingdom
Program spending This charity: 100%
Peer average: 97%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 53
Peer average: 86

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for Charity Commission removal, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every £1 goes

· FY2023 · oscr (FY2025)
£0.97
Program£0.97
100% to programs beats the peer average (97%) and beats the Charity Navigator "highly efficient" threshold (75%).

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

From what GiveRadar has verified so far, Museums Galleries Scotland has a substantially complete profile, sourced from OSCR.

  • Established in 1967, it predates 93% of the education charities in the United Kingdom GiveRadar has a founding year for. View this cohort
  • By reported annual revenue, it is larger than 92% of the 78,357 education charities in the United Kingdom with financial records on GiveRadar. See the filings
  • Its integrity score of 53 is below most of the 87,708 education charities in the United Kingdom GiveRadar tracks. GiveRadar bases this on limited verified information so far, with little on record for its governance. Explore United Kingdom data
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (5 filed years)
  • a website
  • a contact email
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • leadership details (present for 78% of comparable organizations)
  • a donation page
  • third-party accreditation
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Museums Galleries Scotland is a registered education nonprofit based in Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. It is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. It was founded in 1967 and has been operating for 59 years. Its registration number is SC015593. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 53/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports £4M in annual revenue.

Museums Galleries Scotland's official registration number is SC015593, as recorded in the national registry of United Kingdom.

Museums Galleries Scotland has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 53/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 53 ('Partial transparency') means some public data is on file but key signals are missing - worth a closer look before donating. The charity allocates 100% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for education charities in United Kingdom is 86/100.

Museums Galleries Scotland is located in Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. The organization was established in 1967 and has been active for 59 years.

Based on official tax filings, Museums Galleries Scotland has £4M in annual revenue. It allocates 100% of expenses to programs and services. This is in line with the average of 97% for education charities in United Kingdom. Its revenue is significantly above the peer average of £994K. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Museums Galleries Scotland is classified as an Education organization, registered in United Kingdom. It operates as a Charitable Company. It has £4M in annual revenue.

According to GiveRadar's records, Museums Galleries Scotland is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales and overseen by the Charity Commission. It reports that 100% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 97%). GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

MGS is the National Development Body for the Scottish museums sector. We support 450 museums and galleries through strategic investment, advice, advocacy , skills development and other means. In collaboration with the museums and galleries sector and a wide range of partners we lead the delivery of Scotland's Museums and Galleries Strategy. Our vision is that Scotland's museums and galleries are thriving, connected and resilient organisations which are agile in embracing change. As an independent charity we receive core funding from Scottish Government which also provides funding to be distributed via grants directly to the museums and galleries sector. Our impact is enhanced by project-based funding from the National Lottery... Museums Galleries Scotland is classified as an education organization registered in United Kingdom. The organization was founded in 1967.

Among education charities registered in United Kingdom: It allocates 100% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 97%. Its annual revenue of £4M is well above the peer average of £994K.

Museums Galleries Scotland is a charitable company limited by guarantee, the most common incorporated form for UK charities. It is registered with both Companies House and the Charity Commission, and must file annual accounts with both regulators. Directors (who are also charity trustees) have limited liability. Its Charity Commission registration number is SC015593.

You can verify Museums Galleries Scotland in several ways. First, search the Charity Commission Register at https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/ - every charity registered in England and Wales appears here with its registration number, trustees, governing document, and filed accounts. Because this is a charitable company, you can also check its filings on Companies House (https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/). Second, check whether the charity's annual return and accounts are up to date - the Commission flags charities with overdue filings. Third, look for the Fundraising Regulator badge on the charity's website, which signals voluntary compliance with the Code of Fundraising Practice.

Contact Museums Galleries Scotland directly for current donation methods. UK charities typically accept online card payments, direct debit, and bank transfer. Many also use platforms such as JustGiving or Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). If you are a UK taxpayer, make sure to tick the Gift Aid box: it lets the charity reclaim 25p from HMRC for every pound you give at no extra cost to you. Higher-rate taxpayers can claim back the difference between basic-rate and their marginal rate through Self Assessment. Payroll Giving (Give As You Earn) lets you donate pre-tax through your employer.

Donations to Museums Galleries Scotland are eligible for Gift Aid if you are a UK income-tax or capital-gains-tax payer. Gift Aid adds 25% to your donation at no cost to you (the charity reclaims basic-rate tax from HMRC). Higher-rate and additional-rate taxpayers can also claim back the difference through Self Assessment or by adjusting their PAYE tax code. Gifts of shares, property, or land to charity are free of Capital Gains Tax and can be deducted from your income for Income Tax purposes. Legacy gifts (in your will) reduce the value of your estate for Inheritance Tax and can lower the IHT rate from 40% to 36% if you leave at least 10% to charity.

Museums Galleries Scotland is based in Edinburgh in Scotland. The Charity Commission for England and Wales (CCEW) is the primary regulator. Scotland has its own regulator (OSCR), and Northern Ireland has the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI). A charity registered with the CCEW may operate across the whole of the UK or internationally.

Museums Galleries Scotland was first registered in 1967, making it approximately 59 years old. UK charities must file an annual return with the Charity Commission to remain on the register. A long registration history generally indicates sustained operations and continuous regulatory compliance.

Annual revenue
£1M-£10M
100% to programs
Source: oscr (FY2025) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 years on file from oscr (FY2025): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2025, FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.

Sign up to view
Already have an account? Log in
No credit card · Takes 20 seconds

Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United Kingdom under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
39
Still gathering leadership data

We check government filings and charity disclosures quarterly. If you represent this charity, claim this page to add officers directly.

Latest news

From global news sources

No recent news coverage found

News coverage will appear here when articles mention this organization.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Form filed
£4.1M revenue
FY2025
OSCR
Form filed
£4.2M revenue
FY2024
OSCR
Form filed
£5.3M revenue
FY2023
OSCR
Form filed
£10.0M revenue
FY2022
OSCR
Form filed
£11.2M revenue
FY2021
OSCR

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience.

Have you donated or volunteered here?

Share your experience - it takes 30 seconds. Verified reviews help other donors decide.

Sign up to write a review

Cause areas in United Kingdom

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Education this charity 87,646
Health 28,382
Religion 22,146
Arts & Culture 21,802
Community Development 10,738
Environment 5,683
Social Services 4,899
Youth Development 4,637
See all cause areas in United Kingdom

Most common causes in United Kingdom

Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.

Education 54,780
Arts & Culture 17,729
Disability 17,106
Religion 16,671
Health 15,045
Poverty 14,062
Community Development 11,486
Cultural Heritage 8,526

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Charity Commission for England and Wales - Register of Charities
Financial filings
Charity Commission annual returns - Fiscal year 2025 most recent on file.

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 17, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 17, 2026
Profile completeness
75%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 7
  • Financial data · FY2025 on record
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 1967
Not available · 4
  • Named leadership
    Board and officer list not yet indexed
  • Executive pay
    Top-officer pay not disclosed
  • Mission statement
    No self-published statement of purpose
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Museums Galleries Scotland

What is Museums Galleries Scotland?
Museums Galleries Scotland is a education charitable company based in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. MGS is the National Development Body for the Scottish museums sector. We support 450 museums and galleries through strategic investment, advice, advocacy , skills development and other means. In collaboration with the museums and galleries sector and a wide range of partners we lead the delivery of Scotland's Museums and Galleries Strategy. Our vision is that Scotland's museums and galleries are thriving, connected and resilient organisations which are agile in embracing change. As an independent charity we receive core funding from Scottish Government which also provides funding to be distributed via grants directly to the museums and galleries sector. Our impact is enhanced by project-based funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Art Fund and People's Postcode Trust. 'the advancement of education','the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science' (a) to advance culture, heritage and education through the promotion and support of museums and art galleries which are situated in Scotland (such museums and art galleries and their collections to be hereinafter referred to as 'museums''), and by enabling the preservation of heritage and culture in Scotland for the public benefit. and (b) to promote such similar charitable purposes, objects or institutions in such proportions and manner as the directors shall think fit
When was Museums Galleries Scotland founded?
Museums Galleries Scotland was founded in 1967.
Where is Museums Galleries Scotland located?
Headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.
What is Museums Galleries Scotland's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately £1M-£10M. 100% of expenses go to program services.
Is Museums Galleries Scotland trustworthy?
Museums Galleries Scotland has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 53 out of 100 (Partial transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is Museums Galleries Scotland's registration number?
Registration: SC015593 (United Kingdom).
What is Museums Galleries Scotland's website?
https://www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk
Are donations to Museums Galleries Scotland tax-deductible?
Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United Kingdom under local rules. US donors should check whether the charity has an equivalency-determination letter or a US-based fiscal sponsor before claiming a deduction.