Martyn's Law for museums, galleries and visitor attractions
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 is not in force yet. The SIA expects it to come into force in spring 2027 and will confirm the date. Here is how it applies to a museum: how to count your capacity, which tier you fall into, and what has to be in place.
Counting capacity
The figure that decides the tier is the greatest number of people it is reasonable to expect to be present at the same time, from time to time, including staff. For a museum that means visitors and staff who can be present at once on the busiest day, including events. Figures vary a lot between museums, galleries and visitor attractions, so work out your own. Below 200 the Act does not apply. 200 to 799 is standard tier. 800 and over is enhanced tier.
Which tier
A museum or attraction where 200 to 799 people can reasonably be expected at once is standard tier. Where 800 or more can be expected, it is enhanced tier. Free entry does not change the tier. If visitors come and go, hourly counts and the average length of visit give the number present at one time.
What a standard tier museum must have
Once the Act is in force, notify the SIA of the premises and the responsible person through the SIA's online portal. Anyone already responsible on the start date has three months. Have public protection procedures in place, so far as reasonably practicable, for four situations: evacuation (getting people out), invacuation (bringing people in and keeping them inside), lockdown (securing the premises) and communication (telling people what to do). Staff who have a role in them need to know what it is. No equipment, no searches and no security staff are required at this tier. The SIA can impose a penalty of up to £10,000, and up to £500 a day if a compliance notice is not met.
What that looks like in a museum
Museums have visitors who do not know the building, in galleries with one way in and out, and school groups with ratios to keep. The pack's evacuation section has zone leaders sweep their area, which suits gallery sweeps by front of house staff, and the invacuation section asks you to name the safest internal spaces.
Volunteers make up much of the front of house team, and the twenty-minute briefing can be delivered at the start of a shift.
Attractions near 800 need the capacity assessment done carefully because the enhanced tier brings further duties, including a written document sent to the regulator.
The pack
Six Word documents that take a standard tier museum from a blank sheet to ready in an afternoon: capacity and tier assessment, the four procedures written to fill in for your building, a twenty-minute staff briefing with training record, the SIA notification worksheet and an annual review and evidence log. Every section says what the Home Office guidance expects before you fill it in, and the source is noted at the end of each document.
Buy the pack, £450 per venue What's inside
Instant download after payment, receipt by email, single venue licence. Guidance-based templates prepared from the Act and the Home Office statutory guidance. Not legal advice, not drafted by a firm of solicitors, and not endorsed by the SIA or the Home Office. You stay responsible for your own assessment. We are not a security consultancy and this does not replace advice from your police Counter Terrorism Security Adviser.