Museums report considered by Cabinet

A blueprint for the future of Lancaster City Council’s museums is to be drawn up in a bid to safeguard the district’s heritage.

On Tuesday (June 28) Cabinet members met to discuss a report from experienced museum consultants Aitken, Prince and Pearce.

The report includes a bold vision for the future, including a radical revamp of the City Museum as the central hub of a new and revitalised museums service. 

No decisions were taken on the report’s recommendations, but Cabinet members agreed to commission a complete redesign of the museums service with the emphasis on providing an enhanced cultural offer and much improved public access.

A more detailed review of longer term management options will also be undertaken, along with further feasibility work on each of the proposed elements in the report.

Coun Darren Clifford, Cabinet member with responsibility for leisure, culture and tourism, said: “Museums can no longer be ‘cabinets of curiosities’ - they need to be interactive, dynamic and educational, centred around the visitor experience and powered by a commercial engine.

“Unfortunately Lancaster’s museums are, quite literally, stuck in the past, and would require a massive investment to bring them up to date with modern expectations.

“Unless we look at making fundamental changes and rethinking how we run them, they will spiral into insignificance. 

“Across the country we’ve seen a number of museums put under threat due to the reductions the Government is making in local government funding.

“While finance is certainly a factor, the key driver for us is make sure we have a museums service that will really excite future generations and encourage them to connect with our heritage.”

Among other recommendations, the report from Aitken, Prince and Pearce suggests:

• The City Museum could potentially act as a gateway to the city and the wider district and could include the Visitor Information Centre, retail and catering alongside frequently refreshed collections and exhibitions.
   
• In the longer term the development of a new multi-use facility at Morecambe Seafront, with a museums and cultural dimension, should be looked into. This would bring together the interests of many partners around culture, heritage, ecology, wildlife and outdoor pursuits.
   
• The Maritime and Cottage museums should be closed as maintaining them would be costly and risk the viability of the museum service as a whole. The Customs House part of the Maritime Museum, however, could be ‘mothballed’ in case the building is needed in connection with the interpretation of the Roman finds found recently in Quay Meadow. Although the Aitken, Prince and Pearce report makes specific recommendations concerning them, Cabinet did not discuss these at Tuesday’s meeting or make any decisions regarding them. The feasibility study Cabinet agreed to commission will include all of the city council’s museums, to provide more information on the options that are available.
   
• New improved storage facilities are needed so collections from all the museums are consolidated and conserved in a new store.

Last updated: 29 June 2016