September 27, 2006
Theatre Museum to close
London's Theatre Museum is to close in January after 20 years because of a lack of funds. . .It sounds as if the collection is not in danger of being sold off, though much of it may end up spending most of its time buried in deep storage. From the BBC.Its owners, the Victoria and Albert Museum, had been trying to formulate a rescue plan with the Royal Opera House. . .
The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) said it would re-house the theatrical collection in a new gallery on its main site.
Posted by David on September 27, 2006 10:26 PM
I believe the V & A were always reluctant parents of the Theatre Museum as the decision to open this museum was after all almost imposed upon them.
What I do not understand about the Theatre Museum is where were the research programmes they should have undertaken and where were the 30 to 60 academic articles or monographs for peer review that should have been published during the period of its existence?
I think the solution to making the museum more cost effective is to have it just as a shop window for the collection and remove the public research area, administration and areas where collection material is stored to the V & A. The studio theatre should be retained for lectures etc. The Covent Garden site could then be opened up to create a much and better display display of the collection and a proper shop to generate income.
Posted by: Leonard Newman on September 30, 2006 5:57 AM
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