Pride of Cirencester: Corinium Museum earns top national praise
Staff at Cirencester’s Corinium Museum have been praised for their passion and dedication after earning national recognition with an impressive 92% score in VisitEngland’s latest Visitor Quality Assurance Scheme (VAQAS) assessment.
This is up from its rating the year before when it still hit high with a score of 91%.
VisitEngland praised the museum for delivering a “very impressive” visitor experience, with their warm staff welcome and “smart, comprehensive” galleries standing out. The assessment, carried out through an anonymous visit by a VisitEngland assessor also highlighted the Roman exhibits and the museum’s initial welcome as particular strengths.
Staff received full marks for customer service, earning them a nomination for a coveted VisitEngland Welcome Accolade in 2025—having also won the award the previous year.
Emma Stuart, director of the Corinium Museum, said: “All our staff work incredibly hard to make sure that our visitors have an inspirational experience when they visit the museum.
“We are delighted that this has been recognised by VisitEngland and really value the scheme. We are constantly striving to make our galleries vibrant places for people of all ages and abilities to engage with our collections.”
Councillor Paul Hodgkinson, Cabinet Member for Health, Culture, and Visitor Experience, said:
“Congratulations to the Corinium Museum on this well-earned recognition. I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside the team and have witnessed their dedication and passion firsthand. This accolade highlights the museum’s important role at the heart of our community.”
Ivan Horsfall Turner, CEO of Freedom Leisure, the leading not-for-profit leisure trust that manages Corinium Museum on behalf of Cotswold District Council, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to congratulate Emma and her amazing team at Corinium Museum on achieving the Visit England VAQAS accreditation.
“This is so well-deserved - across the museum you can see and feel the passion, professionalism and dedication and the importance of delivering an outstanding visitor experience every day. It’s a fantastic achievement and one the whole team should be incredibly proud of.”
The VisitEngland assessment emphasises the importance of the Corinium Museum as a cultural destination for the district.