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Shambellie House to close for good
Scotland's smallest national museum, the national museum of costume in Dumfries and Galloway, is to be permanently closed because it is 'simply not sustainable'.
Shambellie House is run by National Museums Scotland who say it costs £220,000 a year to run and attracts just 10,000 visitors a year, which is less than 1% of the total number of visitors to Scotland's five national museums.
John Bevir has this report:
£20k funding for study into Shambellie House future
The Culture Secretary for Scotland, Fiona Hyslop, has announced £20,000 in funding for a study into the future of Shambellie House.
The study is being funded by the Scottish Government after National Museums Scotland announced that the Museum of Costume, based in New Abbey near Dumfries, is to close.
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'The low number of visitors is simply not sustainable'
The National Museum of Scotland said that while it has been working hard to supplement its funding through reducing staff numbers, efficiency savings, growing earned income, and attracting donations and sponsorship, the financial climate remains very difficult.
Low visitor numbers blamed for museum closure
The National Museum of Costume based at Shambellie House, near Dumfries, will not re-open for business in the spring.
The closure of the museum comes as a result of the economic recession and falling visitor numbers.
The museum attracted around 10,000 visitors per year, and 5,000 to the shop, cafe and grounds.
The house was opened as a museum in 1982, and is owned by the Scottish Government.
Dumfries costume museum to close
A decision has been made by the National Museums Scotland to close Shambellie House Costume Museum.
The museum, based in New Abbey on the outskirts of Dumfries, is the smallest of five national museums and attracts just 0.6% of total visits to the group of National Museums.