Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery in Bangor is set to be saved from closure following the announcement of a new funding package.
Cuts by Gwynedd county council of about £1m over the next three years, announced in January, jeopardised the future of the oldest general museum in north Wales.
But following a meeting between representatives from Gwynedd council, Bangor University, the Welsh Assembly Government (Wag) and the campaign group Friends of Gwynedd Museum in late July, "a new support package to keep Gwynedd museum open for the next three years is a step closer", according to councillor Dai Rees Jones.
Museums Journal understands that Gwynedd council, Bangor University and CyMAL (the museums division of the Welsh government) are behind the new funding deal, which will be finalised in October.
The council took over the running of the museum in 1982 from Bangor University, which owns the building and most of the artefacts.
"Detailed discussions will now continue between the [museum] working group and the government," said Rees Jones. "We hope that a package which will safeguard the short-term future of the museum can be confirmed in the coming months."
Gwynedd council faces a funding shortfall of between £4m and £5m in 2008-09 after a poor settlement from the government for 2005-06 to 2010-11, prompting the funding crisis at Gwynedd museum.
But budget cuts have also hit local-authority museum services in Ceredigion and Denbighshire this year, while sustained underfunding in Carmarthenshire, Conwy, Wrexham, Powys and Monmouthshire has led to fears for the future of museums in those areas.
The museum sector in Wales is awaiting the assembly government's national strategy for museums. A spokesman said: "The museums strategy will be published in early 2009. It will address several issues. But there is no large-scale funding to accompany the strategy and we will not be able to put resources into any long-term funding solutions for local museums."
Gwynedd museum is in the Arfon constituency of the new heritage minister, Alun Ffred Jones, but the Plaid Cymru member declined to comment.
Cuts by Gwynedd county council of about £1m over the next three years, announced in January, jeopardised the future of the oldest general museum in north Wales.
But following a meeting between representatives from Gwynedd council, Bangor University, the Welsh Assembly Government (Wag) and the campaign group Friends of Gwynedd Museum in late July, "a new support package to keep Gwynedd museum open for the next three years is a step closer", according to councillor Dai Rees Jones.
Museums Journal understands that Gwynedd council, Bangor University and CyMAL (the museums division of the Welsh government) are behind the new funding deal, which will be finalised in October.
The council took over the running of the museum in 1982 from Bangor University, which owns the building and most of the artefacts.
"Detailed discussions will now continue between the [museum] working group and the government," said Rees Jones. "We hope that a package which will safeguard the short-term future of the museum can be confirmed in the coming months."
Gwynedd council faces a funding shortfall of between £4m and £5m in 2008-09 after a poor settlement from the government for 2005-06 to 2010-11, prompting the funding crisis at Gwynedd museum.
But budget cuts have also hit local-authority museum services in Ceredigion and Denbighshire this year, while sustained underfunding in Carmarthenshire, Conwy, Wrexham, Powys and Monmouthshire has led to fears for the future of museums in those areas.
The museum sector in Wales is awaiting the assembly government's national strategy for museums. A spokesman said: "The museums strategy will be published in early 2009. It will address several issues. But there is no large-scale funding to accompany the strategy and we will not be able to put resources into any long-term funding solutions for local museums."
Gwynedd museum is in the Arfon constituency of the new heritage minister, Alun Ffred Jones, but the Plaid Cymru member declined to comment.