Wandsworth Museum, which was due to shut permanently in September, has been thrown a potential £2m lifeline by the Hintze Family Charitable Foundation.
Wandsworth Council is now in discussion with the foundation about setting up an independent charitable trust for the museum and moving it to a new site.
But the current museum in the centre of Wandsworth will still close in September with the loss of 13 jobs. A new museum under the auspices of a trust would share the old West Hill Library building nearby with the De Morgan Collection. The Hintze Foundation has committed, in principle, to finance the new trust to the tune of £2m.
Michael Hintze, the chairman of the foundation, said: 'Wandsworth Museum is crucial to maintain our local cultural heritage and we are committed to ensuring this excellent resource remains available.'
The donation would help ensure the museum's survival. But the new trust would have to find other sources of funding to stay open permanently.
'The Hintze donation provides a foundation from which a sustainable development plan can now be worked out,' said Graham Fisher, the chief executive of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council London.
'The plan now is to get a good business plan for the museum.' If the donation is agreed, there will be an initial grant of £1m to ensure the museum is established and then five yearly payments of £200,000.
The closure of the current museum means it will have to re-apply for accreditation when it reopens. Fisher said: 'We will have to make sure the new museum is on a sound footing before we give it accreditation.' Therefore, in the early stages, the museum will have to look for funding that doesn't require accreditation as a prerequisite.
Although delighted by the commitment from the Hintze foundation, the Wandsworth Museum Campaign is unhappy about the move, which
could take up to a year.
Shirley Passmore, chairman of the Wandsworth Museum Campaign, said: 'If they do move, it's going to take time and money. The only sensible option is for the museum to stay where it is.'
Kate Catleugh, a trustee of the De Morgan Collection, said: 'We are going to be asked to renegotiate our lease and we can't afford to do that.'
Edward Lister, the leader of Wandsworth Council, said: 'We are looking at a new-style operation that can combine private sponsorship with volunteer activity. There is still a lot of work to do.'
Aaron Davies
Wandsworth Council is now in discussion with the foundation about setting up an independent charitable trust for the museum and moving it to a new site.
But the current museum in the centre of Wandsworth will still close in September with the loss of 13 jobs. A new museum under the auspices of a trust would share the old West Hill Library building nearby with the De Morgan Collection. The Hintze Foundation has committed, in principle, to finance the new trust to the tune of £2m.
Michael Hintze, the chairman of the foundation, said: 'Wandsworth Museum is crucial to maintain our local cultural heritage and we are committed to ensuring this excellent resource remains available.'
The donation would help ensure the museum's survival. But the new trust would have to find other sources of funding to stay open permanently.
'The Hintze donation provides a foundation from which a sustainable development plan can now be worked out,' said Graham Fisher, the chief executive of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council London.
'The plan now is to get a good business plan for the museum.' If the donation is agreed, there will be an initial grant of £1m to ensure the museum is established and then five yearly payments of £200,000.
The closure of the current museum means it will have to re-apply for accreditation when it reopens. Fisher said: 'We will have to make sure the new museum is on a sound footing before we give it accreditation.' Therefore, in the early stages, the museum will have to look for funding that doesn't require accreditation as a prerequisite.
Although delighted by the commitment from the Hintze foundation, the Wandsworth Museum Campaign is unhappy about the move, which
could take up to a year.
Shirley Passmore, chairman of the Wandsworth Museum Campaign, said: 'If they do move, it's going to take time and money. The only sensible option is for the museum to stay where it is.'
Kate Catleugh, a trustee of the De Morgan Collection, said: 'We are going to be asked to renegotiate our lease and we can't afford to do that.'
Edward Lister, the leader of Wandsworth Council, said: 'We are looking at a new-style operation that can combine private sponsorship with volunteer activity. There is still a lot of work to do.'
Aaron Davies
