Museums boss calls for government cash help

Tony Butler has signed the open letter to government

Museum bosses in Derby have signed an open letter calling for emergency government funding for the nation's most "at-risk" museums.

Derby was among several cities named in a letter by the English Civic Museums Network (ECMN) that says museums faced a "perilous" financial position, which could mean the "imminent threat of the sale of collections or closure".

ECMN wants Chancellor Rachel Reeves to make £20m available in her autumn budget to ease the pressure faced by museums nationwide.

Tony Butler, executive director of Derby Museums, said without the extra help he was worried institutions across the country "could fall apart".

The Museum of Making was devastated by flood water during Storm Babet

Derby Museums is responsible for the city's Museum of Making, Pickford's House and Derby Museum and Art Gallery.

Mr Butler told the BBC that museums facing financial difficulty had been a "trend over the last 10 years".

"Running these organisations has become more and more unsustainable", said Mr Butler.

"The answer includes an immediate emergency injection into organisations like ours. We are asking for £400,000 to break even next year."

Mr Butler said a trial into charging the public to create extra cash for an Egyptian exhibition "did not do well".

"The museum have never charged admission to the public as that is what they want," said Mr Butler.

"Our visitor numbers across the board are around 200,000 a year but people are not paying £5 extra to see special exhibitions. It's not the answer."

The trust will not be selling collections to generate money for running costs, as that goes against the museum's "code of ethics", said Mr Butler.

More than 20 local museum leaders have joined Mr Butler in signing the open letter.

"None of us think there is a magic wand or fairy godmother to sort out regional museums," he said.

"The best thing you can do is to come and visit us, enjoy our museums or even lobby the government."

In response to the letter, a Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson said: "We recognise the pressures they face, and we are committed to giving stability back to local councils so services such as these can best meet the needs of their communities, alongside continued support provided to regional museums via Arts Council England."