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Purpose This paper aims to present the methodology for designing a system providing comprehensive data about the UK’s museums and enabling research into the history, status and long-term development of the entire sector. Design/methodology/approach The authors have devised and applied an iterative methodology to deliver a knowledge base, web application and website through which these and related resources are publicly accessed, allowing incorporation of the requirements of user stakeholders drawn from across the UK museum sector. Findings The methodology has enabled the elicitation of usage scenarios, research questions and feedback from a broad range of user stakeholders, allowing the system to be successfully delivered within the time and staffing constraints of a single publicly-funded research project. Feedback received from external evaluators and users of the system has been overwhelmingly positive. Originality/value The system includes the only comprehensive data set of the UK’s museums and is enabling new research by museum studies scholars and museum professionals. The methodology can inform other projects aiming to create specialist knowledge resources involving a wide range of user stakeholders, particularly within constrained time and staffing resources.