Cornwall Council is providing initial transitional support while Royal Cornwall Museum reviews its business plan and applies for funding from partners to create a museum for the 21st Century.
Royal Cornwall Museum has been working with the strategic partners in the Cornwall Culture Investment Board and with Cornwall Museums Partnership to explore solutions that keep the museum’s collections open to the public. The Culture Investment Board brings Cornwall Council, Arts Council England, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England to coordinate cultural projects in Cornwall.
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.”
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."
Story posted 5 October 2022
