Wandsworth Museum Saved

April 2007 The Art Fund is delighted to learn that Wandsworth Museum has received a last minute reprieve thanks to a generous donation from a local philanthropist.

At the end of February, Wandsworth Borough Council had made the unpopular decision to close the Museum.  Undoubtedly, this would have been a significant loss to the area. The decision to close the museum, which attracts 30,000 visitors a year, was prompted by ‘a reduction in central government funding’ which amounted to ‘less than the rate of inflation’, forcing the council to bridge a £5m gap between its costs and the government grant. The council hoped to save £400,000 a year through the closure of the museum.

The Art Fund, as a conduit for gifts and bequests, had been concerned that the closure would have been a breach of trust; many people have donated items to the museum on the assumption that these items would be taken care of and would be made accessible.  To disperse the collection in the way that the council proposed, without adequate curatorial stewardship, would have had a detrimental impact upon the care and understanding of the objects.

But now Wandsworth Council is joining forces with the Hintze Family Charitable Foundation, a major international sponsor of the arts, to establish a brand new plan for Wandsworth Museum at the heart of the local community. 

The proposal will involve the setting up of an independent trust to manage the museum. Trustees will have access to the existing collection and will run the new service with support from volunteers.

In order to provide the local community with continued access to the Wandsworth Museum collection, local residents and philanthropists - Michael and Dorothy Hintze -have pledged £2 million to a new museum trust.  This will allow the entire collection of the current museum plus the privately-run De Morgan Collection of ceramics and paintings to be housed together under one roof.

Michael Hintze, chairman of the Hintze Family Charitable Foundation said:

"My wife, my children and I believe Wandsworth Museum to be a vital part of our local community..... We feel it is crucial to maintain our local cultural heritage and are therefore committed to ensuring this excellent resource remains available to all who wish to use it."

This case highlights the importance of encouraging private philanthropy, particularly at a time when local councils are forced to make cuts and cultural services are the first to suffer.  The trend is worrying with cases such as William Morris Gallery attracting headlines, but little financial support, and the situation is set to worsen with the announcement of what is expected to be the tightest spending round in years.