National Conservation Centre shuts doors to public
Closure of centre to public reflects "harsh reality of cuts", says Fleming
National Museums Liverpool (NML) has confirmed the closure of the National Conservation Centre to the public following the comprehensive spending review.
The centre will cease its public-facing functions on 17 December. An NML spokesman said up to six posts at the centre’s shop and cafe would be affected, although the building will still be used for its core function.
Efforts are being made to find staff other roles within NML. A voluntary redundancy programme across NML – the second since the summer – has also been opened.
The permanent display at the National Conservation Centre, called Reveal: the hidden stories of objects, is to be retained and moved to Liverpool’s World Museum.
David Fleming, director of NML, described the centre's closure to the public after 14 years as “the harsh reality of government cuts”.
He added: “We said that a 15% reduction in our funding would have grave implications for us being able to maintain our world class museums and galleries. We are now seeing the impact in terms of a venue closure, following the loss of a number of posts through a voluntary severance scheme.”
NML has ruled out selling some of its collection to alleviate the effects of the cuts, but plans for a new Titanic gallery at Merseyside Maritime Museum are being scaled down because of cuts to funding agencies.
Proposals to reopen the historic Canning Dock to the public have also been abandoned after the announcement that the North West Regional Development Agency is to be abolished.
Elsewhere, the NML’s Sudley House and Piermaster House have been spared and the cuts will not impact on the opening of the £72m Museum of Liverpool in summer 2011, although its budget for special exhibitions has been reduced “significantly”.
Correction
The headline of this article changed on 13 December from "NML to close National Conservation Centre".
The centre will cease its public-facing functions on 17 December. An NML spokesman said up to six posts at the centre’s shop and cafe would be affected, although the building will still be used for its core function.
Efforts are being made to find staff other roles within NML. A voluntary redundancy programme across NML – the second since the summer – has also been opened.
The permanent display at the National Conservation Centre, called Reveal: the hidden stories of objects, is to be retained and moved to Liverpool’s World Museum.
David Fleming, director of NML, described the centre's closure to the public after 14 years as “the harsh reality of government cuts”.
He added: “We said that a 15% reduction in our funding would have grave implications for us being able to maintain our world class museums and galleries. We are now seeing the impact in terms of a venue closure, following the loss of a number of posts through a voluntary severance scheme.”
NML has ruled out selling some of its collection to alleviate the effects of the cuts, but plans for a new Titanic gallery at Merseyside Maritime Museum are being scaled down because of cuts to funding agencies.
Proposals to reopen the historic Canning Dock to the public have also been abandoned after the announcement that the North West Regional Development Agency is to be abolished.
Elsewhere, the NML’s Sudley House and Piermaster House have been spared and the cuts will not impact on the opening of the £72m Museum of Liverpool in summer 2011, although its budget for special exhibitions has been reduced “significantly”.
Correction
The headline of this article changed on 13 December from "NML to close National Conservation Centre".