York Museums Trust was set up in August 2002 to manage York Art Gallery, York Castle Museum, Yorkshire Museum and Gardens and York St Mary's.

All the venues were previously managed by City of York Council, which still owns all the buildings and collections and has agreed to long-term funding of the Trust.

Since 2002, York Museums Trust has:

Increased overall visitor numbers from 387,000 in the first full year of operation to 660,000 for 2011/12;

Overseen a major refurbishment of York Art Gallery in 2005, followed by individual gallery improvements to the South Gallery, Gallery of Pots, and, in 2011, the Burton Gallery;

Achieved a complete refurbishment and transformation of the Yorkshire Museum which reopened in 2010;

Refurbished the Hospitium, our wedding and conference venue in the Museum Gardens, in 2008;

Improved Kirkgate, the Victorian Street, at York Castle Museum, in 2006 and again in 2012, and created the new York Castle Prison experience in 2009;

Created a new contemporary art venue at York St Mary's for site-specific art installations in 2004;

Established an award-winning learning, events and activities programme for schools and families;

Received full Accredited Status by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, recognising improvements which have been made in collection care;

Developed partnerships with other Yorkshire museums and galleries, and with key players in the development of York's cultural strategy.

Become one of Arts Council England's 16 Major Partner Museums in 2012, taking on responsibility for Museum Development for Yorkshire and the Humber.