The Scheme:
- identifies nationally significant cultural assets in museums, libraries and archives
- reveals the strengths of England's leading collections described by geographic area, subject and quality
- guards against the neglect or disposal of the nation's treasures
- helps to ensure that funding can be directed rationally
- helps to build a popular understanding of our shared entitlement to our heritage
The Scheme also sets out to raise standards across the sector. Designated collections recognised by the Scheme are expected to work towards the provision of high quality services, which deliver the fullest possible access to their collections. Those in the Scheme are expected to help other institutions by sharing expertise, offering advice or lending objects or material.
South East designated collections are:
- Mary Rose Trust - entire holdings
- National Motor Museum Trust - entire holdings
- Royal Engineers Museum, Chatham - entire holdings
- Royal Pavilion, Libraries and Museums (Brighton and Hove) - decorative arts, world art and anthropology, natural history
- Brighton Museum and Art Gallery
- Royal Pavilion
- Preston Manor
- Booth Museum of Natural History
- Southampton City Council Cultural Services - fine art and archaeology
- Southampton City Art Gallery
- Museum of Archaeology
- University of Oxford Ashmolean Museum - entire holdings
- University of Oxford Museum of the History of Science - entire holdings
- University of Oxford Museum of Natural History - entire holdings
- University of Oxford Pitt Rivers Museum - entire holdings
- University of Reading Library - The Beckett Collection
- University of Reading Museum of English Rural Life - entire holdings
- University of Sussex Library - The Mass-Observation Archive
- Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, Chichester - entire holdings
