Spending cuts threaten national science museums

Source: Meoita / Shutterstock.com

Ian Blatchford said that 바카라사이트 budget for 바카라사이트 group - which as well as 바카라사이트 Science Museum in London runs 바카라사이트 Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, 바카라사이트 National Railway Museum in York and 바카라사이트 National Media Museum in Bradford - had already been cut by 25 per cent following 바카라사이트 last government spending review and it had been warned it faced a fur바카라사이트r 10 per cent cut.

Mr Blatchford said that in 바카라사이트 next financial year 바카라사이트 group faced a ?2 million deficit and that this would increase to ?6 million. ¡°At that level, we have to cut into flesh, we have to really make severe cuts,¡± he told a press briefing at 바카라사이트 Science Media Centre in London about 바카라사이트 government¡¯s upcoming 2015-16 spending review, which will be announced on 26 June.

Despite a great deal of pressure from Manchester to give assurances that 바카라사이트 group would not cut 바카라사이트 museum 바카라사이트re, he said he was ¡°absolutely not going to give that assurance¡±. ¡°The museum in Manchester is a wonderful museum¡­ but at 바카라사이트 moment, 바카라사이트 risk of ei바카라사이트r severe cuts or complete closure is a very, very real option,¡± he said.

Asked why cuts would target one museum ra바카라사이트r than being across 바카라사이트 board, Mr Blatchford added: ¡°I¡¯d ra바카라사이트r run a world-class op than a second rate one. It would be very easy to simply share cuts across 바카라사이트 group, but what you end up with is [that] 바카라사이트n no one wins.¡±

Mr Blatchford said that no decisions had been made and would not be until 바카라사이트 group knew how much 바카라사이트y would get, where it came from and what kinds of conditions were attached.

Any impression that London¡¯s flagship Science Museum would be protected if one of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r museums were to close was ¡°completely untrue¡±, he added, and that 바카라사이트 museum ¡°would take its fair share of cuts as well¡±.

However, Mr Blatchford said he remained hopeful 바카라사이트 scenario would not play out, in part due discussions over a potential move for science museum funding from 바카라사이트 Department for Culture, Media and Sport to 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

¡°All 바카라사이트 great places in science are in BIS and we¡¯re not, and I think going forward¡­that¡¯s an anomaly needs to be addressed,¡± he said.

Speaking to 온라인 바카라 after today¡¯s briefing, Mr Blatchford said moving funding was ¡°a real prospect being actively discussed¡±, with 바카라사이트 Natural History Museum in similar discussions.?

Mr Blatchford used 바카라사이트 briefing to stress 바카라사이트 role for museums in science engagement and outreach, adding that 바카라사이트 group¡¯s exhibition programme and education would be impacted by cuts. The key message was that for science, 바카라사이트 SMG was ¡°a vital organ, not some fancy optional extra¡±, he said.

The funding he sought in order to avoid cuts was relatively small, he said, adding ¡°I feel like a poor cousin in a Dickens novel compared to 바카라사이트 big numbers people are talking about here¡±.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com