Designation

The Museum, Library and Archive Council's (MLA) Designation Scheme identifies nationally and internationally significant cultural assets in non-national museums, libraries and archives in England.

MLA East Midlands provides advice and support to museums, libraries and archives in the region when applying to MLA's Designation Scheme. 

Five collections in the East Midlands are designated as significant by MLA:

• The Lincoln Episcopal Rolls and Registers 
  (held at Lincolnshire Archives)
  
  
• The Portland (London), Portland of Welbeck and Newcastle of Clumber family, estate, political and literary papers (held at the University of Nottingham)
  
  
•  The National Tramway Museum: The collections contain over 70 trams and associated equipment; also library, archive, photographic and postcard collections, with material ranging from company records and contemporary journals to personal items such as uniforms and papers
  
  
• Northampton Museum and Art Gallery: The Boot and Shoe Collection covers everything from Roman and medieval footwear to the work of contemporary designers, and includes shoemaking tools and machines, accessories, fine and decorative art depicting shoes and shoemaking, and documentary material
  
  
• The Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne:  The entire holdings including objects painted by boatmen, costumes worn by boating families, waterways souvenirs, along with photographic and archive material. The British Waterways Archive is included within this award for Designation
  
  
  If you would like any further information on applying for Designation please contact us.