Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery (BMAG), the largest local authority museum service in England, may switch to trust status.
Speaking at the Museums Association conference last month, Rita McLean, head of museums and heritage services, said: “Like many other local authority museums, we are considering trust status. Previously, I’ve been ambivalent as to whether this is a good thing or not. I think it depends on local circumstances.
“But we all need to understand that local authorities are going to change. Also, there are constant rounds of restructuring happening, and uncertainty. It is tempting to be at arm’s length.”
BMAG attracts about 850,000 visitors annually to its seven sites, which include the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, and Aston Hall.
“Our best approach, whatever decisions are taken on governance arrangements, is to face up to change and the potential need to do things differently. I sense there is a real appetite for this within our sector,” added McLean.
Meanwhile, a series of new history galleries at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is not jeopardised by a funding shortfall, according to Chris Rice, head of heritage services.
“There is a £653,000 funding gap, which is challenging, but hopefully not insurmountable, even in the current climate,” he said. The Birmingham – A City in the Making permanent display, which will focus on the city’s historical development, will cost £9.4m.
The Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded £4.9m to the scheme, while other funders include the Arts & Humanities Research Council (£282,000) and the Wolfson Foundation (£300,000).
Applications have been made to a range of trusts and charities including the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Advertising on scaffolding erected around the museum will raise at least £100,000.
“The city council has allowed us to retain a further £191,000 of contingency money as a fund of last resort should we not achieve the £653,000,” added Rice.
Building work on the new galleries is scheduled to start in December.