Science Museum Group would close one site if 10% cut goes ahead - Museums Association

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Science Museum Group would close one site if 10% cut goes ahead

Director warns that budget deficit would leave no other choice
The Science Museum Group (SMG) is considering plans to close one of its northern sites if an additional 10% cut proposed under the government’s upcoming spending review goes ahead.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, SMG director Ian Blatchford said: “We are investigating a range of options but if an additional 10% cut is made when the spending review is announced at the end of this month, there would be little choice other than to close one of our museums, since our structural (year on year) deficit would rise from £2m to £6m.”

He added: “I would rather have three world class museums than four mediocre museums.”

Blatchford ruled out introducing admission charges at any of the sites to save costs because “government policy precludes it”.


Listen to Ian Blatchford on BBC Radio Four today

In addition to the Science Museum in London, the SMG is responsible for the Museum of Science and Industry (Mosi) in Manchester, the National Railway Museum in York and the National Media Museum in Bradford.

The group, which is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), has dealt with a 25% cut in real terms to its budget since 2010 and has axed 89 posts in that period.

The SMG held a crisis meeting earlier this week with councillors from York, Bradford and Manchester to explore options for the regional museums. Bradford council leader David Green has slammed what he described as “a north-south divide in terms of resources and decision-making”.

Councillors are proposing that funding obligations for the museums transfer to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), with an increased focus on scientific and educational work. The science budget under BIS has faced less severe cuts of 10% since 2010.

In a joint statement, council leaders for York and Bradford said: “We are keen to encourage increased collaboration across these museums and with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. They are important contributors to our educational, tourism and cultural offer.”

Museums Association director Mark Taylor said the closure of any of the science museums would be “unthinkable”.

He added: “It just shows that the government's assertion that all is well and frontline services can be maintained is very wide of the mark. If the spending review due at the end of this month is as bad as we fear, this could be just the beginning.”

The Manchester Evening News has launched a petition to protect Mosi from closure.

The SMG’s plans will be put forward to trustees in the autumn.

Update
06.06.2013


Campaigns have also now been launched to save the National Railway Museum and the National Media Museum.


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