Lincolnshire museum cuts plan provokes anger
- Published
The council said it gave £90,000 a year to Church Farm Museum
Campaigners have pledged to fight plans to stop funding to three museums in Lincolnshire.
The county council said it wants to withdraw funds from Church Farm Museum in Skegness and Stamford and Grantham museums in an effort to save money.
Already 500 signatures have been collected on a petition calling to save Church Farm Museum.
Officials emphasised that some of the collections would remain on show by being moved into nearby libraries.
Church Farm Museum, which shows aspects of rural life, costs the council about £90,000 and gets about 15,000 visitors a year, according to official figures.
'Clever' plan
Katherine Wilson, from the Society for Lincolnshire Heritage and Archaeology, said the plan was short-sighted.
She said: "It appears that they have not looked for a creative solution or alternative ways of managing these museums.
"The same might be true of the Grantham and Stamford museums, where the key element is that members of staff are available who understand the collections - because that is where the real difference lies between museums and libraries."
But county councillor Eddie Poll said moving museum collections into libraries is a common-sense solution.
He said: "Why can't a library building house both a museum and a collection of books that people can borrow, so people can access both in the same building.
"I am not denying there will be some reduction in the displays but what I'm suggesting is that rather than lose the service altogether, I think we are being quite clever by putting the two together."
Organisers at Church Farm Museum said they would be looking at alternative funding sources.