Museums sector chief warns of ‘decades of underinvestment’ amid closures risk

An industry body said there has been “decades of underinvestment” in museums as a new report shows 17% of organisations believe their facility is at risk of closure in the next 12 months.

A survey compiled by Museums Galleries Scotland was presented to MSPs at the Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee on Tuesday as part of scrutiny preceding the Scottish Government’s Budget 2027-28.

Some 11% of organisations told the survey two years ago that they felt their museum was at risk of closing within 12 months.

Lucy Casot, chief executive officer at Museums Galleries Scotland, said: “Two years on, the survey results – of which we haven’t published the survey in full yet – but we’ve got some headlines, one of which is that 17% of museum organisations now believe that a venue that they run is at risk of closure in the next 12 months, and that is a very serious position that we need to grapple with.”

She continued: “The other figure there … is 40% of organisations have less than three months of reserves, or three months or less of reserves.”

Ms Casot also said there has been challenges in relation to the maintenance of museum buildings.

She said: “Museums are very often in historic buildings, 52% of organisations are not on top of their regular maintenance, you’re seeing that build-up of challenge there, and 38% of museums and stores are in either a poor or bad condition, and that’s really serious for organisations that are caring for our national collections on behalf of the people of Scotland, and obviously all the activity that happens in there.

“There’s been decades of underinvestment that’s been hollowing out those services, and I think that’s really serious.”

Liam Sinclair, executive director and co-chief executive at the National Theatre of Scotland, said the theatre sector was also nearing a “breaking point”.

He said: “I’ve used previously the analogy of an elastic band. I think culture is incredible; it’s stretching out resource and making things work.

“But like all elastic bands, it will reach a breaking point. And, certainly, from the national performing company perspective, we are approaching that point now.

“In fact, we’re already at that point where the strain on that elastic band is showing.”

The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.