Museum raises half of funds needed to stay open

The Rural Life Living Museum is a collection of discarded buildings and objects of everyday life

A museum in Surrey has raised more than half of the £150,000 it says it needs to "protect its legacy and avoid closure".

The Rural Life Living Museum in Farnham launched an appeal in early August to raise the funds following a rise in its operational costs.

In a post on Instagram the attraction said the £90,000 raised so far was "an incredible effort" and "we are exceedingly grateful for every donation".

The statement added that £60,000 was still needed and that the museum had "big plans for the future".

The collection was started in 1968 by Madge and Henry Jackson who then opened their back garden to the public in 1973.

It has about 20 buildings, more than 40,000 agricultural artefacts and documents jobs, crafts and trades from the past.

The museum says it needs the money to secure its cashflow until spring 2025 and to invest in bigger and better marketing.

A spokesperson said it had been surviving "hand-to-mouth" while a "crippling" electricity bill and a drop in visitors have put its future at risk.

The attraction says it needs to raise the funds by the end of October.

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