Financial challenges facing Museums

Museums tell Viewpoint how they are facing financial challenges

By Marilyn Barber

Museums do so much to enrich our towns and villages, helping us to learn from the past, but sadly our local museums are facing challenges which could impact on their survival.

Realising the importance of these iconic buildings, which build a sense of community identity, Viewpoint contacted some local museums to find out how they were coping with the challenges of the 21st century.

The Museum of East Dorset - formerly the Priest’s House Museum – was established by the owner of the building Hilda Coles in 1962 and she ran it for 25 years until her death in 1987.

Extensions followed and in 2020, following a major fundraising campaign and a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the building was restored and refurbished as the Museum of East Dorset.

Chezzie Hollow, director, said: “With a £25,000 annual reduction in local government funding and energy prices doubling, this is a particularly challenging time for the museum which already operates at a loss. As a charity at the heart of the local community, we rely on the generosity of our supporters to ensure that we can continue to deliver our impressive community work, our award-winning learning programme and a comprehensive onsite and outreach programme for those with dementia. There are many ways to help towards the running costs of the museum: from becoming a Member of the Trust or making a donation, to enjoying refreshments in the Garden Tea Room, attending an event, buying a gift or secondhand book from the shop and, of course, visiting the museum.

“If you don’t want to lose us, please support us in any way you can – it really does make a difference.”

The Russell Cotes Museum in Bournemouth has made no secret of its financial challenges.

A spokesperson said: “Small local museums house and preserve an enormous amount of local heritage. Financial support is wonderful when we can get it, but it is currently thin on the ground. Having said that, there is almost nothing museums funded or not, cannot accomplish with volunteers. My wish at this point would not be for more money, it would be for more volunteers to join our museum community.”

Opened in 1998 as the Jet Heritage Museum and based in the Heritage Hangar at Bournemouth Airport, a year later it was renamed the Bournemouth Aviation Museum. It moved to its present site near to Adventure Wonderland in 2008.

Chairman Neil Hallett said: “In spite of the current problems with finances we are doing OK. Our admission charge makes it possible for a family of two adults and two children to have a good time out, and because of this we have a successful footfall. This has enabled us to finance an expansion to the museum which will add to the attraction over the coming months.”

A spokesperson for Hampshire Cultural Trust, which operates Red House Museum and Gardens in Christchurch, said: “The value of visiting museums, participating in events, enjoying exhibitions cannot be underestimated – over 600,000 people visit our venues every year, and 15,000 school pupils benefit from immersive education programmes.

“Along with many sectors, the heritage and culture sector has faced a tough time recovering from the pandemic, exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis and inflationary pressures, which have had a massive impact on costs. To counter this as an organisation, Hampshire Cultural Trust has a robust business plan in place focussing on income generation from a number of areas, including revenue from admissions, our cafés and shops, and of course fundraising, so that we can continue to offer cultural experiences that are accessible to all members of our community.”

Poole Museum, opened as the Waterfront Museum in 1989 and now owned and operated by BCP Council it being transformed. The buildings closed to the public at the end of 2022 and work costing £7.7 million, supported by funding, is taking place.

Project manager, Alison Smith at BCP Council said: “The redevelopment project has been concerned with tackling the challenges that faced Poole Museum – that includes pressures on Council funding for non-statutory services, outdated public access and facilities that could no longer cope with increasing visitor numbers, important new maritime archaeological discoveries and collections we were unable to display, and major repairs needed to our historic buildings – including two Grade I listed medieval buildings.”

Dorset Museum and Art Gallery, which too is facing financial challenges, was contacted for a comment which is still awaited.

Fordingbridge Museum is run entirely by volunteers and receives no public money.

Trustee Julian Hewitt, and author of the Fordingbridge Museum column in this magazine said: “The museum is free to the public but we do ask for voluntary donations from visitors. We also raise money by organising fundraising events. The Covid lockdown did mean that we had no income so that we relied on our reserves and donations from local businesses to pay for energy bills and other expenses.

“Now that we are open again our funding is returning to previous levels. Our main problem is attracting new volunteers to act as stewards or to work behind the scenes. Since the disruption caused by Covid attracting volunteers has become more difficult.”

Julian Hewitt continued: “Our volunteers love being part of the museum family, meeting visitors from all over the world and helping in the creative work of designing the displays and preserving the artefacts. They also enjoy engaging with schools and local organisations. If you would like to become a volunteer visit fordingbridgemuseum.co.uk.”

Viewpoint carried out a vox pop to ask local people if they had visited museums in the last year.

Adrian Thomas from Verwood said he had been to a museum in Dorchester and planned to go to the Kimmeridge Bay Museum to see the Sea Rex. He said: “I like going to the local museums because I am originally from Wales. Then I moved here and it’s always nice to explore new places.”

Barbara Winter from Ringwood said she went to a museum while on holiday adding, “I like looking at the old buildings.”

Kathleen Varley from West Moors said she hadn’t been to a museum in the last year adding, “The reason why is because of transport. I don’t drive so I have to rely on buses.”

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