A unique initiative is being tested in Spain: a quality label for museums

An initiative that is unprecedented in the world is about to kick off in Spain: a quality label for museums, which will aim to assure the public that the institution guarantees services that distinguish it from other museums, and should stimulate cultural venues to improve their performance by putting the visitor at the center of attention. The label, strongly desired by theInstituto de Calidad Turística (ICTE) will be launched in 2019 and already some museums will be able to boast of it.The presentation of the initiative will be held on Monday at the Museo Sorolla in Madrid and the official delivery of the first “stamp” (which will be in the shape of a Q) will be on Tuesday (the first museum to receive it is the MARQ - Museo Arqueológico Provincial in Alicante).

The requirements for obtaining the label have been worked out by experts from forty institutions (such as the Prado, the Reina Sofía, the Thyssen-Bornemisza, the Guggenheim in Bilbao, the Picasso Museum in Barcelona, and the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias in Valencia): these are aspects that cover three main areas of work, namely the obligations of the museum’s management, services, and installations. Important elements of evaluation will thus be accessibility, quality of information and communication, user retention, clarity of exhibition routes, management of collections and exhibition spaces, and security. Museums are thus effectively equated with hotels, bathing establishments, nature parks, and beaches-all places for which ICTE has already established quality labels. “Quality in tourism management,” ICTE president Miguel Mirones told El País newspaper, “must necessarily include values such as sustainability, accessibility, and respect for the environment, and become the fundamental axis in the design of future tourism policies for Spain.” An axis in which museums are also fully included: “the fact that the main Spanish museums have adhered to this proposal promoted by ICTE, makes it clear firstly that cultural tourism agents are very aware of the important role they have to play in the future of Spanish tourism, and secondly that museums are clearly aiming to play this role by relying on quality as the fundamental principle of its implementation.”

The heads of some museums welcomed the news. Carmen Castañón, of the Reina Sofía’s management, says, “we actively participated in the technical meetings to develop the standard to share our vast experience in visitor care. It is essential to think of museums as institutions that have visitor attention, not just collections or exhibitions. The process of self-assessment and continuous improvement that is part of the standard is a very valuable tool. We are fortunate to be one of the great national museums and to be among the most visited year after year. This gives us a great deal of experience in identifying and defining the parameters needed to evaluate the performance of visitor services. We know our visitors, employ big data technologies, and continuously strive to keep those who visit us coming back and to attract new audiences.” Thyssen-Bornemisza’s head of general services, Vicente Pérez, says, “It is necessary to create a brand that certifies the quality of visits. There are 1,600 museums in Spain and we have to be demanding. Those who approach our entrance and see the Q mark on the door will not only know that the museum uses their expertise in regards to the works of art, but they will also have the assurance that they will have a very complete visiting experience.”

Photo: the Prado Museum. Ph. Credit Emilio J. Rodríguez Posada

A unique initiative is being tested in Spain: a quality label for museums

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