Science Museum Group in trouble - museums may have to close
16 June 2013, 10:06 AM
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Science Museum Group in trouble - museums may have to close
I have been surprised there hasn't been a thread on this yet,
The Sience Museum Group that runs the Science Museum in London, the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, the National Media Museum in Bradford and the National Railway Museum in York is in financal trouble having had its government funding cut in real terms by 35% in recent years as part of the austerity cuts.
Coupled to that is the fact that they cannot chrage for admission due to the previous government pledging all national museums should be free admission. Despite attempting dialogue with the current government over changing this no priority is being placed on it by said government!
As such it is likely that one or more of the northern regional museums will have to close.
All of these museums are big attractions that bring huge numbers of people to the areas they are located in (with a knock on effect to the local economy in general), but more than that they capture important parts of British history and how we shaped the modern world. Losing any of them would be terrible.
I know I am always moaning about the government, but I find it nauseating that they are happy to cut the funding of museums like this that are such a benefit to the British people yet are proud to stand up and beat the drum over how proud they are to be giving billions away in foreign aid to benefit people in foreign countries (reference Cameron's recent speech about how it makes him proud to be British to be able to give this aid to foreign countires and even hinting at giving more).
While I believe foreign aid has its place the old saying charity begins at home repeatedly comes to mind!
The Sience Museum Group that runs the Science Museum in London, the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, the National Media Museum in Bradford and the National Railway Museum in York is in financal trouble having had its government funding cut in real terms by 35% in recent years as part of the austerity cuts.
Coupled to that is the fact that they cannot chrage for admission due to the previous government pledging all national museums should be free admission. Despite attempting dialogue with the current government over changing this no priority is being placed on it by said government!
As such it is likely that one or more of the northern regional museums will have to close.
All of these museums are big attractions that bring huge numbers of people to the areas they are located in (with a knock on effect to the local economy in general), but more than that they capture important parts of British history and how we shaped the modern world. Losing any of them would be terrible.
I know I am always moaning about the government, but I find it nauseating that they are happy to cut the funding of museums like this that are such a benefit to the British people yet are proud to stand up and beat the drum over how proud they are to be giving billions away in foreign aid to benefit people in foreign countries (reference Cameron's recent speech about how it makes him proud to be British to be able to give this aid to foreign countires and even hinting at giving more).
While I believe foreign aid has its place the old saying charity begins at home repeatedly comes to mind!
Last edited by f1_fan; 16 June 2013 at 01:49 PM.
16 June 2013, 10:27 AM
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Charity should be a choice of the giver not the government forcing people to give to the charity the government wants.
It should be that individual gives the money or doesnt and it should be made illegal for the government to be able to give away money raised through taxation etc
That would immediately stop a lot of our charity donations dispappearing into some bodies back pocket in India and then people could afford to support their local charities more
It should be that individual gives the money or doesnt and it should be made illegal for the government to be able to give away money raised through taxation etc
That would immediately stop a lot of our charity donations dispappearing into some bodies back pocket in India and then people could afford to support their local charities more
16 June 2013, 10:36 AM
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16 June 2013, 11:12 AM
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16 June 2013, 11:33 AM
#12
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I have been surprised there hasn't been a thread on this yet,
The Sience Museum Group that runs the Science Museum in London, the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, the National Media Museum in Bradford and the National Railway Museum in York is in financal trouble having had its government funding cut in real terms by 35% in recent years as part of the suterity cuts.
Coupled to that is the fact that they cannot chrage for admission due to the previous government pledging all national museums should be free admission. Despite attempting dialogue with the current government over changing this no priority is being placed on it by said government!
As such it is likely that one or more of the northern regional museums will have to close.
All of these museums are big attractions that bring huge numbers of people to the areas they are located in (with a knock on effect to the local economy in general), but more than that they capture important parts of British history and how we shaped the modern world. Losing any of them would be terrible.
I know I am always moaning about the government, but I find it nauseating that they are happy to cut the funding of museums like this that are such a benefit to the British people yet are proud to stand up and beat the drum over how proud they are to be giving billions away in foreign aid to benefit people in foreign countries (reference Cameron's recent speech about how it makes him proud to be British to be able to give this aid to foreign countires and even hinting at giving more).
While I believe foreign aid has its place the old saying charity begins at home repeatedly comes to mind!
The Sience Museum Group that runs the Science Museum in London, the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, the National Media Museum in Bradford and the National Railway Museum in York is in financal trouble having had its government funding cut in real terms by 35% in recent years as part of the suterity cuts.
Coupled to that is the fact that they cannot chrage for admission due to the previous government pledging all national museums should be free admission. Despite attempting dialogue with the current government over changing this no priority is being placed on it by said government!
As such it is likely that one or more of the northern regional museums will have to close.
All of these museums are big attractions that bring huge numbers of people to the areas they are located in (with a knock on effect to the local economy in general), but more than that they capture important parts of British history and how we shaped the modern world. Losing any of them would be terrible.
I know I am always moaning about the government, but I find it nauseating that they are happy to cut the funding of museums like this that are such a benefit to the British people yet are proud to stand up and beat the drum over how proud they are to be giving billions away in foreign aid to benefit people in foreign countries (reference Cameron's recent speech about how it makes him proud to be British to be able to give this aid to foreign countires and even hinting at giving more).
While I believe foreign aid has its place the old saying charity begins at home repeatedly comes to mind!
It does make you wonder when you here of things like this happening,and then you here of our Government giving away pot loads of money to a foreign country,it is a p1ss take that they seem to always do this.
16 June 2013, 12:24 PM
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I have been surprised there hasn't been a thread on this yet,
The Sience Museum Group that runs the Science Museum in London, the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, the National Media Museum in Bradford and the National Railway Museum in York is in financal trouble having had its government funding cut in real terms by 35% in recent years as part of the suterity cuts.
Coupled to that is the fact that they cannot chrage for admission due to the previous government pledging all national museums should be free admission. Despite attempting dialogue with the current government over changing this no priority is being placed on it by said government!
As such it is likely that one or more of the northern regional museums will have to close.
All of these museums are big attractions that bring huge numbers of people to the areas they are located in (with a knock on effect to the local economy in general), but more than that they capture important parts of British history and how we shaped the modern world. Losing any of them would be terrible.
I know I am always moaning about the government, but I find it nauseating that they are happy to cut the funding of museums like this that are such a benefit to the British people yet are proud to stand up and beat the drum over how proud they are to be giving billions away in foreign aid to benefit people in foreign countries (reference Cameron's recent speech about how it makes him proud to be British to be able to give this aid to foreign countires and even hinting at giving more).
While I believe foreign aid has its place the old saying charity begins at home repeatedly comes to mind!
The Sience Museum Group that runs the Science Museum in London, the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, the National Media Museum in Bradford and the National Railway Museum in York is in financal trouble having had its government funding cut in real terms by 35% in recent years as part of the suterity cuts.
Coupled to that is the fact that they cannot chrage for admission due to the previous government pledging all national museums should be free admission. Despite attempting dialogue with the current government over changing this no priority is being placed on it by said government!
As such it is likely that one or more of the northern regional museums will have to close.
All of these museums are big attractions that bring huge numbers of people to the areas they are located in (with a knock on effect to the local economy in general), but more than that they capture important parts of British history and how we shaped the modern world. Losing any of them would be terrible.
I know I am always moaning about the government, but I find it nauseating that they are happy to cut the funding of museums like this that are such a benefit to the British people yet are proud to stand up and beat the drum over how proud they are to be giving billions away in foreign aid to benefit people in foreign countries (reference Cameron's recent speech about how it makes him proud to be British to be able to give this aid to foreign countires and even hinting at giving more).
While I believe foreign aid has its place the old saying charity begins at home repeatedly comes to mind!
16 June 2013, 12:35 PM
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The four museums in the original post are completely free admision. Indeed I have been to two of them in the last 12 months. I don't recall mentioning the Tate Modern in the post, but hey maybe that's because it's an art gallery not a museum... although I maybe wrong!
Anyway see here:
Free Museums
Last edited by f1_fan; 16 June 2013 at 12:36 PM.
16 June 2013, 12:46 PM
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F1, you clearly stated all were free whereas they are not. Entry maybe, but not to see the exhibits. It's a bit like a cinema, free entry to the foyer but you pay to see the film, get it now?
Although of course,like yourself I may be wrong.
Although of course,like yourself I may be wrong.
16 June 2013, 12:58 PM
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There are a number of National Museums in the United Kingdom, which are owned and operated by the state. The national museums of the UK are funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) of the United Kingdom government, and are all located in England. There are 14 national museums, all established by Acts of Parliament, as well as another eight which are sponsored by the DCMS. In addition, there are national museums in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which are supported by the devolved legislatures. National museums in Scotland are funded by the Scottish Executive Education Department in Wales by the Welsh Assembly Government and in Northern Ireland by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure of the Northern Ireland Executive.
Free entrance is standard practice in all UK National Museums, although some exhibits do require an admission fee to view. Several of the museums have more than one location throughout the UK.
Free entrance is standard practice in all UK National Museums, although some exhibits do require an admission fee to view. Several of the museums have more than one location throughout the UK.
Additionally out of the four museums mentioned in the original post 3 have completely free entry, the fourth, the Science Museum in London, I can't speak for personally as haven't been there recently to be fair.
All that said I think you are somewhat missing the point and that is that if we lose even one of these great museums it would be a tragedy. I know you don't like ill spoken of your prefered polictical party, but the fact is they have their priorities wrong.
Last edited by f1_fan; 16 June 2013 at 01:01 PM.
16 June 2013, 01:02 PM
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The science museum in London is still free as are several others. They are always heaving with tourists and school kids but I wonder whether or not charging would actually affect the throughput of people - there needs to be a balance struck and whilst we sit in a recession with earnings generally reducing in real terms people will not accept a tax hike to support this, but why should foreign tourists get what we pay for for free
16 June 2013, 01:10 PM
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The science museum in London is still free as are several others. They are always heaving with tourists and school kids but I wonder whether or not charging would actually affect the throughput of people - there needs to be a balance struck and whilst we sit in a recession with earnings generally reducing in real terms people will not accept a tax hike to support this, but why should foreign tourists get what we pay for for free
I can't see the National Media Museum in Bradord and to a lesser extent the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester fairing so well by charging an admission though. The National Railway Museum would probably be OK too as again York is a popualr tourist city.
It needs thought and a proper solution.
I would be very sad to see the MOSI go as it is a celebration of the Industrial Revolution that Manchester palyed a huge part in. Living around Manchester I go there at least once a year. My father was a steam and diesel marine engineer ... it was one of the last places I ever went with him before he died (him describing the engineering behind some of the exhibits had a lot of people's attention that day) so it holds a lot of history for me personally too!
Last edited by f1_fan; 16 June 2013 at 01:11 PM.
16 June 2013, 01:20 PM
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But if the London Science Museum was a lucrative going concern with money coming in from tourism, then that income could be used to subsidise those who don't have the same revenue stream - I think all the museums should continue to be free for UK Passport holders
16 June 2013, 01:28 PM
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Why can't we charge tourists and anybody with a UK passport is free?
I've experienced this abroad myself in other countries.
I suppose it probably contravenes some Human Rights nonsense that Labour forced us into
I've experienced this abroad myself in other countries.
I suppose it probably contravenes some Human Rights nonsense that Labour forced us into
16 June 2013, 02:10 PM
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I have always enjoyed seeing those museums and I agree completely with F1 Fan. I think it would be a gross dereliction by the government if they were forced to close down. It would be a very big loss to the country and the people.
Les
Les
16 June 2013, 02:21 PM
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It's crazy if you ask me. Granted the hall with the planes is a bit run down at Manchester but all the steam stuff rocks. There is an early EE Lightning prototype in the space/air hall which is very cool though.
16 June 2013, 02:32 PM
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This. I believe that it should be free for UK people and tourists pay. Certainly all the museums I've been to abroad I have had to pay, so it seems a little odd that the ones in London are free?
16 June 2013, 04:14 PM
#28
Pity. As a child I used to love the science and industry museum in Birmingham. Lots of cool stuff in there from the Victorian and WWII eras. Plenty of local history too as alot of stuff was made in the area. I used to go pretty regular during school holidays as at the time my mum was working in Brum in a accounts office up the road, and it was the only thing of interest to do round there at the time. Plus it was free.
They closed it, demolished it. and replaced it with the "Birmingham Think Tank". Which as nice as it is, fails to pay true homage to the area's true influence to the rest of the UK.
Worst of all...you have to pay to get in. If it was a couple of quid, it wouldn't matter to much...but its £12+ for adults and £8+ for kids above 3yrs!..Combine that with travel costs, be it parking/fuel or public transport makes for a poor VFM. Hence I've only been once.
As a adult, I don't mind paying something, but the charges for kids is truly staggering.
They closed it, demolished it. and replaced it with the "Birmingham Think Tank". Which as nice as it is, fails to pay true homage to the area's true influence to the rest of the UK.
Worst of all...you have to pay to get in. If it was a couple of quid, it wouldn't matter to much...but its £12+ for adults and £8+ for kids above 3yrs!..Combine that with travel costs, be it parking/fuel or public transport makes for a poor VFM. Hence I've only been once.
As a adult, I don't mind paying something, but the charges for kids is truly staggering.
16 June 2013, 05:20 PM
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16 June 2013, 06:59 PM
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Not all that surprised to be honest, the last time I went to the Science Museum in London it was pretty pants, and nowhere near as good as it should be considering all the things this country has contributed to science. I mean, there's an entire floor dedicated to DNA and the genome, and it's the most boring thing I've ever seen in a museum.
The last decent thing I saw there was a mini exhibition of F1's contribution to technology outside of motor racing, but that was only temporary.
The last decent thing I saw there was a mini exhibition of F1's contribution to technology outside of motor racing, but that was only temporary.