Agreement to secure short-term future of Truro's Royal Cornwall Museum
Cornwall Council has agreed to provide transitional support as bosses bid for funding
Last updated 5th Oct 2022
Following weeks of negotiations between the Royal Cornwall Museum and Cornwall Council, an agreement has been made to secure the museum's short-term future.
The council is providing initial transitional support while the Truro site reviews its business plan and applies for funding from partners to "create a museum for the 21st Century".
Back in July, bosses said the Royal Cornwall Museum could be forced to close after Cornwall Council pulled its funding. Then, it was not on the list of creative organisations to receive a share of the authority's £1.8 million Culture and Creative Investment Programme.
Since then, more than 5,500 people have signed a petition to save the site and several talks have been held.
Cornwall Council also stressed that it wanted to work with them to find an alternative way forward.
Councillor Carol Mould, Cornwall Council Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods said: "This is a unique situation. 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 was formed more than 200 years ago by the Royal Institution of Cornwall to promote excellence in our science, art and culture and our world leading industries. 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.
"We all want to see the Royal Cornwall Museum live up to its full potential as a high-quality cultural destination. The first step will be for the museum to carry out a thorough review of their business and development plan so that it can attract funding from other agencies".
'We continue to need Cornwall's support'
Jonathan Morton of the Royal Cornwall Museum said: "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. This initial support will help us transition into our longer term plans.
"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.
"The offer of this transitional support puts us in a really positive position to continue our work and to build a longer-term funding solution, one that will still require a huge amount of effort and will mean we continue to need the support of everyone in Cornwall."
Local MP Cherilyn Mackrory said: "This really is welcome news for the people of Cornwall who feel so passionately about the Royal Cornwall Museum.
"When the news initially broke and the museum partners reached out to me for help and support to keep its doors open, I knew it was something I absolutely had to support.
"Over the summer and in recent weeks, my team and I have had weekly contact with the museum to help them try and find a solution to this matter and to secure the museum’s future.
"This news that an agreement has now been reached between the museum and Cornwall Council is a huge relief, and warmly welcomed.
"I look forward to seeing the doors remaining wide open for the people of Cornwall, to hearing their plans for the future, and I look forward to vising the museum again shortly".