Museum to receive £100,000 in support from council

Carol Mould, the councillor responsible for culture, said the museum's bid for cash "did not measure up"

A museum will receive £100,000 of financial support from Cornwall Council to help it to remain open.

Royal Cornwall Museum (RCM) previously said it faced closure when its bid to the council's culture and creative investment programme was unsuccessful.

The council said the investment would help the museum to start exploring long-term solutions for staying open.

Bryony Robins, the museum's artistic director, said the money would support it financially for two years.

"We're incredibly grateful for the support of the Cornwall Cultural Investment Board who came together over the summer and along with our members and the people of Cornwall came out in support of us [and] put together a plan that secures a future and keeps the doors open," she said.

'Future proofing'

Ms Robins said the museum would apply for other grants to finance its services for a sustainable future.

"We are in the process of applying for a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and that will help us do a big piece of work around testing our plans and future proofing things," she said.

"When we have the results of that, we can go back to Cornwall Council who have said that there is another £100,000 of G7 legacy funding on the completion of that piece of work."

Jonathan Morton from the museum said it would still need the support of people in Cornwall.

"We are extremely grateful that Cornwall Council, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Arts Council and Historic England have recognised the positive trajectory of RCM's long-term plans for a sustainable future," he said.

"We would also like to say how grateful we are to everyone who has supported the museum and its importance to Cornwall over the last few years and in the last few months."

'Positive trajectory'

Councillor Carol Mould, Cornwall Council's portfolio holder for neighbourhoods, said the council was keen to make sure the museum lived up to its "full potential".

"This is a unique situation," she said.

"The partners in the Cornwall Culture Investment Board are keen to ensure that the public are able to continue to enjoy the collections at the Royal Cornwall Museum which tell key parts of Cornwall's story.

"Our transitional support will enable the museum to commence its longer-term transformation and reinvention plan."

The museum is home to a significant archive of local mining history and materials, as well as the Courtney Library and Archive.

Ms Mould said: "Because of the unique nature of the organisation, the council is keen to find different ways to develop the long-standing relationship between the council, RCM and other partners to ensure that we can look forward and be successful together."