The Barbados Museum and Historical Society (BMHS) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization with a membership of over 1,000 individuals and companies. A fourteen-member Council and the Director are responsible for its policies and operation. Nine council members are elected annually from the membership of the BMHS; the remaining five are appointed by Government.
The mandate of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society is:
To collect, document and conserve evidence of Barbados cultural, historical and environmental heritage; and to interpret and present this evidence for all sectors of society.
In addition, the Museum has, in recent years, generated revenue from consultant and advisory services in a variety of related areas, both at national and regional levels. Training services have also been offered to both the Caribbean community and the local heritage tourism sector. Research and reproduction fees form a small part of the annual income as well.