Five top tips for advocating for your museum in the run up to the Scottish Parliament election

The Scottish Parliament election on 7 May presents a great opportunity to make the case for museums and to influence policy.

The MA and other sector bodies will be advocating for museums in the run up to the election but advocacy is something that everyone in the sector can and should be doing.

Here are our five top tips for advocating for your museum in the run up to the Scottish Parliament election.

Be aware of what’s allowed

Even if your organisation is a charity, you can still advocate for your museum in the run up to the Scottish Parliament election.

Under Scottish charity law, while charities cannot campaign to advance a political party, you can campaign if it advances your charitable purpose, your governing document does not prevent it and if you can show you are acting in your charity’s interests.

Check out OSCR’s charities and campaigning on political issues guidance to find out more information about what’s allowed and what’s not.

In the pre-election period, there will be additional restrictions on some organisations including non-departmental public bodies and local authority museums. The Scottish Government will publish guidance on this closer to the time. Politicians will also become busier during this period so planning ahead is key.

Create an elevator pitch

If you had one minute with a policymaker, what would you say to them? What would you want them to know about the museum you work in or with?

Set yourself a clear goal of what you’re trying to achieve to help you create your key messages. What is your museum doing really well? What challenges is it facing and what could help resolve them? What stories can you tell that illustrate the difference your museum makes to local people’s lives?

Having succinct key messages can support your advocacy by ensuring your museum has clear asks and that these asks are consistent across the organisation, regardless of who is communicating them.

Once you have your key messages, make sure there is buy-in from senior management and trustees to make everyone in the organisation is on the same page.

At the MA we have shared our key messages in our manifesto for museums in Scotland, which we have sent to all main political parties.

Gather evidence

Having strong data can really strengthen your key messages. A good case study can illustrate the impact of your museum’s work and solid quantitative data can help convey the impact of what you’ve achieved or the seriousness of an issue.

Gathering evidence doesn’t always mean doing more work – think about what you’ve done already. Do you have evaluation from a project you have recently run? Or a record of how many local schools have visited your museum in the last year? This information can help to demonstrate the value of your museum to local communities.

Identify your cheerleaders

Think about who can support your cause by mapping out your key stakeholders. Who is interested in your museum? Who has power and influence?

If you have strong relationships developed with local community groups, this can be a great way to showcase the wider societal impact of your museum.

The MA is here to support you in your advocacy and we can help you to amplify your messages. We regularly meet with policymakers and decision makers so get in touch if you have something you want us to raise with them.

Spread the word

Communication is key – make sure to share your key messages widely. Contact your local MSPs and candidates to let them know about new exhibitions, projects and successes. Why not also invite them to visit? This is a great way to showcase how fantastic your museum is.

You can search for your MSPs by postcode on the Scottish Parliament website and you can find out which candidates are running in the constituency where your museum is located by using the website Who Can I Vote For? The official candidate list will be published after 2 April 2026.

Contacting local press to get news coverage of exhibitions and initiatives at your museum can also help raise awareness of the great work you are doing.