Nottingham Industrial Museum will not close, contrary to local press reports, but will open to the public only one day a month from early October.
The museum opens daily from 11.30am to 5.00pm and Nottingham City Council aims to save £44,000 annually by limiting access to the last Sunday of every month and Heritage Open days.
"We are not talking about closure, but about limited opening for a period pending fundraising for Wollaton Hall's [the museum site] second development phase," said a council spokeswoman.
"The Industrial Collection will form part of the second phase of the redevelopment of the Wollaton site." She added that the museum does not receive funding from outside bodies.
Three museum staff are set to be redeployed. Twenty-five volunteers from the Nottingham Arkwright Society (NAS) will organise the monthly open "steaming" days and continue to maintain the steam engines.
But David Ablitt, secretary of the Nottingham Industrial Heritage Association, worries about the fate of the collection.
"There are concerns for the future of the exhibits, especially the collection of lace machines," he said. "If they are to be moved, the task should be undertaken by specialists. It is doubtful whether the expertise is now available."
But the council spokeswoman insisted the "collection will remain intact".
The museum opens daily from 11.30am to 5.00pm and Nottingham City Council aims to save £44,000 annually by limiting access to the last Sunday of every month and Heritage Open days.
"We are not talking about closure, but about limited opening for a period pending fundraising for Wollaton Hall's [the museum site] second development phase," said a council spokeswoman.
"The Industrial Collection will form part of the second phase of the redevelopment of the Wollaton site." She added that the museum does not receive funding from outside bodies.
Three museum staff are set to be redeployed. Twenty-five volunteers from the Nottingham Arkwright Society (NAS) will organise the monthly open "steaming" days and continue to maintain the steam engines.
But David Ablitt, secretary of the Nottingham Industrial Heritage Association, worries about the fate of the collection.
"There are concerns for the future of the exhibits, especially the collection of lace machines," he said. "If they are to be moved, the task should be undertaken by specialists. It is doubtful whether the expertise is now available."
But the council spokeswoman insisted the "collection will remain intact".
