Non-national museum funding
DCMS response to public enquiries.
Funding for non-national museums
In the recent Comprehensive Spending Review, the Department confirmed funding levels for all its sponsored museums until the end of the Spending Period in 2014-15. We are now exploring whether the Department’s non-national museums may be more effectively sponsored through other bodies in the longer term.
The seven museums in question are:
- Geffrye Museum,
- Horniman Museum and Gardens
- Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester (MOSI)
- National Coalmining Museum for England
- People’s History Museum
- Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums
- Design Museum
We are confident that despite the current economic climate, alternative bodies will be keen to take on the sponsorship of these museums, which will make excellent additions to their activities.
The guaranteed funding for the next four years will be transferred to their new sponsors if negotiations are concluded before 2014/15. Responsibility for funding the museums after 2014/15 will belong to the new sponsors.
As part of the transfer arrangements the Department will seek to be satisfied that new sponsors can offer a sustainable future for the museums, and there is no question of cutting these museums adrift without any financial support in the unlikely event that no new sponsorship arrangements can be found.
National Football Museum
The National Football Museum is not part of this process. In November 2009 the Board of Trustees of the National Football Museum decided to enter into a partnership with Manchester City Council to relocate the museum from Preston to the Urbis Centre in Manchester city centre, securing long-term, sustainable funding for the museum. DCMS sponsorship of the National Football Museum ended with the formation of this new partnership.