National Museum will not shut, minister promises

The chief executive of Museum Wales has warned that its Cardiff site could have to close

The National Museum in Cardiff is not closing, Wales' new culture secretary has said.

The museum's boss warned last weekend that the historic building may have to shut because of its deteriorating condition.

Speaking in the Senedd on Wednesday, Lesley Griffiths said the government was looking at "specific funding over the next few years".

Museum Wales overall is axing at least 90 jobs because of a cut in its grant.

Meanwhile a petition to the Senedd calling for increased spending on Museum Wales and the National Library reached more than 10,000 signatures.

Museum Wales, which runs the National Museum in Cardiff, saw its funding from the Welsh government cut by £3m this year.

In total the body says it has a deficit of £4.5m to address by the end of March.

Chief executive Jane Richardson said that the building - which houses "extraordinarily special objects" but has a leaky roof - would have to close without further funding.

The Welsh government said it was making "extremely difficult decisions" due to its own budget being £700m less in real terms than it was in 2021.

On Monday new first minister Vaughan Gething defended the cuts in a news conference, saying they were a result of prioritising the NHS while budgets were tight.

But on Wednesday there was a clear suggestion from Lesley Griffiths that further funding would be made available.

'Iconic'

Responding to a Senedd question by Plaid Cymru's Heledd Fychan, the culture secretary said that work had already started to look at "specific funding over the next few years".

The senior minister told MSs that she had asked the museum to bring forward a business plan by the middle of May.

Ms Griffiths stressed that her budget was not very big, but said that this was "not just a matter for me, it's a cross-government issue".

"It's an iconic building. These collections are not ours, we just look after them," she said.

"It's really important that we do safeguard them."

The culture secretary also said the Welsh government was "committed" to not charging to enter museums.

She said museum management were looking at ways of "raising revenue" but she added that "charging to go in is not one of them".

She added: "I want to reassure everyone the National Museum is not closing."

Ms Fychan welcomed the response and hoped there was now a "willingness to find solutions".

"None of us want to see National Museum Cardiff, the headquarters of our iconic National Museums have to close its doors because it is not safe for visitors, staff and our national collections".