The museums action movement
National Heritage, the museums action movement, is a charity supporting, encouraging and when necessary criticising, museums and galleries in the UK. It also represents the interests of museum and gallery visitors and other users, and runs a ‘Heritage Watch’ scheme to identify and alert members and others to current threats to our heritage.
It is the only independent body representing these particular national interests. Make your views known on our blog.
Latest News
Segontium Fort Museum, Caernarfon faces closure
by Heritage Watch
BBC report: The Segontium Roman Museum in Caernarfon, Gwynedd is on a site which experts call one of the best preserved Roman fortresses in the world. But cash from a five-year funding deal is running out, and the trust says it may not be able to open in the spring.
The Welsh Assembly Government says it hopes a solution can be found to save the centre from closure.
Segontium Cyf, a trust made up of local people, took over the running of the centre from National Museum Wales in 2003. Since then, the day-to-day running costs of the centre have been met through a funding deal set-up by the national museum.
However, the chairman of the Segontium trust, Rhys Prytherch, says that cash is now running out, and they face the very real prospect of closing the museum doors for good in just a few weeks.
Full story http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8342156.stm
by Heritage Watch
BBC report: The Segontium Roman Museum in Caernarfon, Gwynedd is on a site which experts call one of the best preserved Roman fortresses in the world. But cash from a five-year funding deal is running out, and the trust says it may not be able to open in the spring.
The Welsh Assembly Government says it hopes a solution can be found to save the centre from closure.
Segontium Cyf, a trust made up of local people, took over the running of the centre from National Museum Wales in 2003. Since then, the day-to-day running costs of the centre have been met through a funding deal set-up by the national museum.
However, the chairman of the Segontium trust, Rhys Prytherch, says that cash is now running out, and they face the very real prospect of closing the museum doors for good in just a few weeks.
Full story http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8342156.stm
Chard Museum under threat
by Heritage Watch
From thisissomerset.co.uk, 28 Sep 2009:
The treasurer of Chard Museum says the attraction is in danger of closing next year unless new funding can be found.
The museum, at Godworthy House, High Street, applies for a grant of around £10,000 from the building's owners, South Somerset District Council every year to cover the cost of rent.
Tony Prior, treasurer and acting chairman says the council has told him it wants the museum to be completely self-funded by 2014 and will not provide further grants unless it can secure funding from Chard Town Council.
Acting mayor Cath Morrison said the museum would be considered when budgets were set later this year.
A district council spokesman said: "The amount we gave to Chard Museum in April this year was £8,500 but, as is the case each year, we don't know how much money we will have to give out from our charity grant pot.
"Nothing has changed with the way we give out grants but we don't want organisations to be in the position where they are reliant on them, so encourage them to do as much as they can for themselves as possible. We would be very happy to work with the town council and the museum to discuss ways forward between us all."
The museum exhibits include agricultural equipment, blacksmith's and carpentry shops, pioneer of early powered flight - John Stringfellow, and James Gillingham, a maker of artificial limbs.
For more info: http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/chardandilminster/news/Grant-fears-town-s-tourist-attraction-peril/article-1369939-detail/article.html
by Heritage Watch
From thisissomerset.co.uk, 28 Sep 2009:
The treasurer of Chard Museum says the attraction is in danger of closing next year unless new funding can be found.
The museum, at Godworthy House, High Street, applies for a grant of around £10,000 from the building's owners, South Somerset District Council every year to cover the cost of rent.
Tony Prior, treasurer and acting chairman says the council has told him it wants the museum to be completely self-funded by 2014 and will not provide further grants unless it can secure funding from Chard Town Council.
Acting mayor Cath Morrison said the museum would be considered when budgets were set later this year.
A district council spokesman said: "The amount we gave to Chard Museum in April this year was £8,500 but, as is the case each year, we don't know how much money we will have to give out from our charity grant pot.
"Nothing has changed with the way we give out grants but we don't want organisations to be in the position where they are reliant on them, so encourage them to do as much as they can for themselves as possible. We would be very happy to work with the town council and the museum to discuss ways forward between us all."
The museum exhibits include agricultural equipment, blacksmith's and carpentry shops, pioneer of early powered flight - John Stringfellow, and James Gillingham, a maker of artificial limbs.
For more info: http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/chardandilminster/news/Grant-fears-town-s-tourist-attraction-peril/article-1369939-detail/article.html
Birmingham transport museum under threat
by Heritage Watch
From Birmingham Post article of 28 September 2009 by Edward Chadwick:
Bosses at a museum which is home to a priceless collection of Birmingham’s bygone public transport vehicles are facing a crisis after the city council axed funding.
Enthusiasts who run Aston Manor Transport Museum were dealt the crushing blow when city leaders said there was no cash to continue paying their £43,000-a-year rent to stay in the Grade II listed building, a former tram depot.
Trust members have now been told that they face a rent increase of about a third and have baulked at the quoted valuation if they were to buy the property.
Vice-chairman Rob Handford said the trust was determined to make sure that years of good work would not go to waste and vowed to keep the collection together. “We’re very disappointed but not surprised that in the current climate the council has decided not to continue funding something which is not essential. “Many of the volunteers who run the museum have dedicated a lot of their lives outside of work and we are determined that none of that will go to waste.”
Mr Handford said the museum would now be looking at community grants and the Heritage Lottery Fund to try and safeguard the future of the museum.
He said the trust would hire a team of independent valuers to verify that they had been quoted reasonable sums by the council. The museum has been home to more than 30 trams, buses, cars, lorries and fire engines dating as far back as 1906 since it opened in 1992.
The council’s cabinet member for leisure, Coun Martin Mullaney, said: “We can no longer continue to justify paying rent of more than £40,000 a year when grants are available from other sources.
For more info: http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2009/09/28/birmingham-transport-museum-under-threat-65233-24794929/
by Heritage Watch
From Birmingham Post article of 28 September 2009 by Edward Chadwick:
Bosses at a museum which is home to a priceless collection of Birmingham’s bygone public transport vehicles are facing a crisis after the city council axed funding.
Enthusiasts who run Aston Manor Transport Museum were dealt the crushing blow when city leaders said there was no cash to continue paying their £43,000-a-year rent to stay in the Grade II listed building, a former tram depot.
Trust members have now been told that they face a rent increase of about a third and have baulked at the quoted valuation if they were to buy the property.
Vice-chairman Rob Handford said the trust was determined to make sure that years of good work would not go to waste and vowed to keep the collection together. “We’re very disappointed but not surprised that in the current climate the council has decided not to continue funding something which is not essential. “Many of the volunteers who run the museum have dedicated a lot of their lives outside of work and we are determined that none of that will go to waste.”
Mr Handford said the museum would now be looking at community grants and the Heritage Lottery Fund to try and safeguard the future of the museum.
He said the trust would hire a team of independent valuers to verify that they had been quoted reasonable sums by the council. The museum has been home to more than 30 trams, buses, cars, lorries and fire engines dating as far back as 1906 since it opened in 1992.
The council’s cabinet member for leisure, Coun Martin Mullaney, said: “We can no longer continue to justify paying rent of more than £40,000 a year when grants are available from other sources.
For more info: http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2009/09/28/birmingham-transport-museum-under-threat-65233-24794929/
Southampton Council plans to sell artworks to fund a “Sea City” museum
by Heritage Watch
Council plans to sell off three pieces from Southampton City Art Gallery to raise funds for a new maritime museum as part of a Cultural Quarter come under fire. Rodin’s Eve and Sir Alfred Munning’s, After the Race are two of the items under threat.
The Council believes it can raise £5m with the sale and it wants a £4.5m Heritage Lottery Fund grant for the £15m centre. But the HLF spokesperson said, “We would not normally expect the proceeds of the sale of heritage to be used to create partnership funding for a project….We are having ongoing discussions with Southampton City Council regarding this matter and cannot comment further for the time being”.
‘Save Our Collection’ has collected nearly a thousand signatures on a petition via their page on Facebook. They state “the artwork belongs to the people of Southampton not councilors to do with as they like”.
http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=SAVE+OUR+COLLECTION&init=quick#/group.php?gid=107801983173&ref=search&sid=1359489852.33987788..1
Councillor John Hannides, Cabinet member for Culture and Heritage on Southampton City Council and Charles Saumarez Smith, chief executive of the Royal Academy, debated the proposals on BBC Radio 4 Today programme on 24 August.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8217000/8217616.stm
by Heritage Watch
Council plans to sell off three pieces from Southampton City Art Gallery to raise funds for a new maritime museum as part of a Cultural Quarter come under fire. Rodin’s Eve and Sir Alfred Munning’s, After the Race are two of the items under threat.
The Council believes it can raise £5m with the sale and it wants a £4.5m Heritage Lottery Fund grant for the £15m centre. But the HLF spokesperson said, “We would not normally expect the proceeds of the sale of heritage to be used to create partnership funding for a project….We are having ongoing discussions with Southampton City Council regarding this matter and cannot comment further for the time being”.
‘Save Our Collection’ has collected nearly a thousand signatures on a petition via their page on Facebook. They state “the artwork belongs to the people of Southampton not councilors to do with as they like”.
http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=SAVE+OUR+COLLECTION&init=quick#/group.php?gid=107801983173&ref=search&sid=1359489852.33987788..1
Councillor John Hannides, Cabinet member for Culture and Heritage on Southampton City Council and Charles Saumarez Smith, chief executive of the Royal Academy, debated the proposals on BBC Radio 4 Today programme on 24 August.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8217000/8217616.stm
National Maritime Museum Secures £5 Million Heritage Lottery Grant for new wing.
by Heritage Hound
National Maritime Museum has secured a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £5M to develop the Sammy Ofer Wing. This together with the substantial £20M gift from shipping magnate and philanthropist Sammy Ofer KBE announced in 2008 set the project firmly on track to open in 2012.
The new wing will become the Museum's major south entrance, opening up key visitor approaches from the Royal Observatory and King William Walk. The project includes an international standard special exhibitions gallery, and state of the art library and archive facilities. The large special exhibition gallery will enable the Museum to build on its programme of major exhibitions.
by Heritage Hound
National Maritime Museum has secured a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £5M to develop the Sammy Ofer Wing. This together with the substantial £20M gift from shipping magnate and philanthropist Sammy Ofer KBE announced in 2008 set the project firmly on track to open in 2012.
The new wing will become the Museum's major south entrance, opening up key visitor approaches from the Royal Observatory and King William Walk. The project includes an international standard special exhibitions gallery, and state of the art library and archive facilities. The large special exhibition gallery will enable the Museum to build on its programme of major exhibitions.
Click here to read more...