A review of army museums funded by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has recommended that 113 posts cease to be civil servant posts and instead be funded directly by the museums through grant-in-aid.
As part of the process, which would ultimately save the MOD more than £520,000 a year, only one full-time post would be funded for each regimental or corps museum.
This would result in the loss of nine posts and further savings of £200,000. The review also said museums of disbanded regiments should receive funding for only 25 years after their dissolution, leading to a fall in MOD-funded museums from 69 to 36 over time.
Colin Sibun, director of the Army Museums Ogilby Trust, said: “The recommendations are sad but inevitable given the defence cuts; sad because antecedent regimental museums play a valuable role in representing the army in their locality.
But when defence overall is reducing in every department, it is inevitable that museums are included.”
The MOD currently spends about £4.3m a year on regimental and corps museums, and £5.4m on the National Army Museum.
Many regiments and corps contribute significant funding to their museums, while private donations account for £18m a year.
While accepting the report’s claim that MOD funding is “critical” to support museum activities, some in the sector worry that its rationalisation could deter private donors in particular.
Mark Taylor, director of the Museums Association, said: “Regimental museums’ present funding is variable, and there is a danger that this review, while giving a better sense of order to the existing structure, could also reduce help in kind that exists.”
The report also calls for the National Army Museum, which receives 55% of the MOD’s funding for army museums, to play a more proactive role in guiding and advising the army museum network on specialist issues.
Director Janice Murray said the museum’s 2011 strategic plan had already committed it to the creation of a programme of travelling exhibitions and special loans to regimental museums.
As part of the process, which would ultimately save the MOD more than £520,000 a year, only one full-time post would be funded for each regimental or corps museum.
This would result in the loss of nine posts and further savings of £200,000. The review also said museums of disbanded regiments should receive funding for only 25 years after their dissolution, leading to a fall in MOD-funded museums from 69 to 36 over time.
Colin Sibun, director of the Army Museums Ogilby Trust, said: “The recommendations are sad but inevitable given the defence cuts; sad because antecedent regimental museums play a valuable role in representing the army in their locality.
But when defence overall is reducing in every department, it is inevitable that museums are included.”
The MOD currently spends about £4.3m a year on regimental and corps museums, and £5.4m on the National Army Museum.
Many regiments and corps contribute significant funding to their museums, while private donations account for £18m a year.
While accepting the report’s claim that MOD funding is “critical” to support museum activities, some in the sector worry that its rationalisation could deter private donors in particular.
Mark Taylor, director of the Museums Association, said: “Regimental museums’ present funding is variable, and there is a danger that this review, while giving a better sense of order to the existing structure, could also reduce help in kind that exists.”
The report also calls for the National Army Museum, which receives 55% of the MOD’s funding for army museums, to play a more proactive role in guiding and advising the army museum network on specialist issues.
Director Janice Murray said the museum’s 2011 strategic plan had already committed it to the creation of a programme of travelling exhibitions and special loans to regimental museums.
