The Mapping Museums Lab is a multidisciplinary research team based at Birkbeck, University of London. We combine computer and data science, and museum studies to document and analyse the history, geography, composition, and development of the UK museum sector since 1960.

The data deposited here was collected as part of the AHRC funded project 'Museum Closure in the UK 2000-25', and underpins our project report Collections From Closed Museums, published in December 2025.

The finalised Museum Closure dataset comprises a list of museums in existence in the UK during 1960-2025 and their characteristics, with detailed information on museum closure from 2000 and after.