Museum and gallery reopening welcome, but more government support needed

The government has announced today that Museums and Galleries in England will be able to reopen from 4 July 2020.

Prospect represents thousands of workers in museums and galleries as well as the wider sector.

Mike Clancy, Prospect General Secretary, said:

“It is welcome news that galleries and museums will be able to reopen but this is just the start of a long road back to recovery. As a union we are working with heritage employers to make sure re-opening can happen safely.

“With social distancing in place and tourism unlikely to recover for a while, in is unlikely we will see an immediate bounce back to pre-pandemic visitor numbers. With heritage institutions now reliant on private funds for up to 80% of their revenue they still face an existential threat.

“Access to our cultural heritage is vital for the social health of our nation and to the economic recovery. If assets close they will be very hard to reopen in the future and vital jobs, skills and history may be lost. The government must commit to doing whatever it takes to see museums and galleries through the recovery in what is likely to be a difficult few years.”

Our Bectu sector represents workers in cinemas, who will also be able to reopen on 4 July.