Arts Council England (ACE) has announced the 16 major partner museums that will receive a share of around £60m over the next three years under the Renaissance programme.

It is the first time that major Renaissance funding has been allocated for a three-year period through an open application system measured against published criteria.

Bristol City Council; the Museum of London; and York Museums Trust are among those to benefit from a funding package of around £20m a year between April 2012 and March 2015.

The other major partners are:

- Beamish and Bowes Museum, County Durham
- Birmingham Museums Trust
- Cumbria Museums Consortium
- Horniman Museum and Gardens, London
- Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust
- Leeds Museums and Galleries
- Manchester Partnership
- Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service
- Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter, and Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery
- Royal Pavilion and Museums, Brighton and Hove
- Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums
- University of Cambridge Museums
- Oxford University Museums and Oxfordshire County Museums Service

ACE said the awards had also been allocated in the context of its aims set out in Culture, Knowledge and Understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone.

"The announcement of our 16 major partner museums is a significant step forward in our closer relationship with the wider cultural sector," said ACE chief executive Alan Davey.

"They have all been chosen for the excellence of their work, their innovative approaches to connecting audiences with their collections, and for their compelling plans for the future."

Meanwhile, further details of the Renaissance Museum development fund have also been announced, which aims to help enhance the sustainability and resilience of the sector.

Applications for the fund will open on 7 February and close on 7 March, with £8m made available between 2012 and 2015.

Details of the Renaissance Strategic support fund, which is expected to be worth £15m a year and complement Major partner and Museum development funding, will be revealed in the autumn.

Details: www.artscouncil.org.uk

Image: Manchester Museum – part of the Manchester Partnership – DrPhoenix