The director of Bletchley Park, the Milton Keynes- based estate where codebreakers helped decrypt enemy messages during the second world war, has called for the historic centre to be tied to a national museum. The move follows an appeal by 97 academics to help save the park, which has fallen into a state of disrepair.
The scientists recently wrote to the Times asking that "Bletchley Park be provided with the same financial stability as some of our other great museums such as the Imperial War Museum, the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum".
Simon Greenish, director of Bletchley Park Trust, said: "A site as important as this should be linked to a national museum such as the Imperial War Museum."
But a spokeswoman for the Imperial War Museum said: "We recognise the great importance of the site at Bletchley Park, but the museum already has five branches. The museum is not consequently in a position to assume responsibility for any more outstations."
Bletchley Park has been managed by a charitable trust since 1992. It receives no public funding and relies on income from sales of annual season tickets priced at £10 and hiring out the premises for private functions.
Greenish confirmed that he planned to seek accreditation through the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). He also aims to secure Heritage Lottery funding, launch a fundraising programme and appoint a new curator to oversee the accreditation process. An MLA spokesman said the Bletchley Park application was in the "preliminary stages".
Greenish said the trust had previously approached various public bodies for funding, but as site ownership and development plans had not been established, the applications had been premature.
In 1999, a deal was brokered between the trust and local landowners whereby the trust gained a 250-year lease on the core historic areas of the estate. The trust has the option to purchase the site in 2028 for a nominal sum.
In addition, Greenish plans to open a National Museum of Computing alongside the existing main museum, which is housed in nine locations across the site, including the park's Victorian mansion.
About 30,000 people have visited the park this year, a 30 per cent rise on last year.
The scientists recently wrote to the Times asking that "Bletchley Park be provided with the same financial stability as some of our other great museums such as the Imperial War Museum, the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum".
Simon Greenish, director of Bletchley Park Trust, said: "A site as important as this should be linked to a national museum such as the Imperial War Museum."
But a spokeswoman for the Imperial War Museum said: "We recognise the great importance of the site at Bletchley Park, but the museum already has five branches. The museum is not consequently in a position to assume responsibility for any more outstations."
Bletchley Park has been managed by a charitable trust since 1992. It receives no public funding and relies on income from sales of annual season tickets priced at £10 and hiring out the premises for private functions.
Greenish confirmed that he planned to seek accreditation through the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). He also aims to secure Heritage Lottery funding, launch a fundraising programme and appoint a new curator to oversee the accreditation process. An MLA spokesman said the Bletchley Park application was in the "preliminary stages".
Greenish said the trust had previously approached various public bodies for funding, but as site ownership and development plans had not been established, the applications had been premature.
In 1999, a deal was brokered between the trust and local landowners whereby the trust gained a 250-year lease on the core historic areas of the estate. The trust has the option to purchase the site in 2028 for a nominal sum.
In addition, Greenish plans to open a National Museum of Computing alongside the existing main museum, which is housed in nine locations across the site, including the park's Victorian mansion.
About 30,000 people have visited the park this year, a 30 per cent rise on last year.