NMDC Response to the 2020 Budget

On 11th March 2020, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced in the Budget funding for National Museums maintenance.

'The government is providing £27 million for critical maintenance work on the National Museums’ estates. The government understands the maintenance challenges faced by the National Museums and will take further action to address these at the CSR.'

Sir Ian Blatchford, Chair of NMDC and Director & Group Executive of the Science Museum Group responded :

'It is really promising to see a much more sustained and serious commitment from government to the capital funding needs of UK museums. Our museums across the country are in desperate need of investment despite being more popular than ever.

National museums’ work reaches every corner of the UK and they are a huge draw for domestic and international audiences, but caring for the national collections requires ample investment to ensure resilience for the future. This commitment for new maintenance funding is a positive step to put museums in the best position possible to support towns and cities, contribute to thriving communities, and to drive growth and the tourist economy.

Following announcements last year of £44m for national museum maintenance and £250m last autumn for regional development, this new funding and the commitment to revisit capital in the spending review heralds a very positive shift towards better supporting our unique cultural heritage.'