Southwark Council, which closed the Livesey Museum for Children in February because of funding cuts, has said that the institution "should never have opened as a museum" in the first place.
A spokeswoman for the council, which owns the building in trust, said: "The council has been in breach of trust since 1974, when it changed the building's use from a library to a museum."
But Bridget McKenzie, a founding member of campaign group the Friends of the Livesey Museum for Children, said Southwark Council had not apologised for the "rapid, unconsultative and ill-considered closure of the museum".
The terms of the trust mean that the building cannot be sold or leased without the permission of the Charity Commission, which was set to hold talks with Southwark Council as Museums Journal went to press.
Southwark Council said selling the building and using the proceeds for the purposes of the original bequest, or whatever purpose is agreed with the Charity Commission, was one option.
McKenzie said the Friends wanted to work with the council to approach the Charity Commission about reopening the museum.
A spokeswoman for the council, which owns the building in trust, said: "The council has been in breach of trust since 1974, when it changed the building's use from a library to a museum."
But Bridget McKenzie, a founding member of campaign group the Friends of the Livesey Museum for Children, said Southwark Council had not apologised for the "rapid, unconsultative and ill-considered closure of the museum".
The terms of the trust mean that the building cannot be sold or leased without the permission of the Charity Commission, which was set to hold talks with Southwark Council as Museums Journal went to press.
Southwark Council said selling the building and using the proceeds for the purposes of the original bequest, or whatever purpose is agreed with the Charity Commission, was one option.
McKenzie said the Friends wanted to work with the council to approach the Charity Commission about reopening the museum.
