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A debate about the future of Britain?s museums has been kicked off with a wide-ranging Government consultation document that seeks to examine ?the contribution that museums and galleries can ? and should ? make to a modern democracy.?
?Understanding the Future: Museums and 21st Century Life? details five areas for debate including the use of museums? collections, the role museums can play in education and research, and the ways the sector could be restructured to make it more representative of modern society. Suggestions as to how the sector might respond to these issues include proposals for museums to share collections nationally and to step up efforts to recruit a more diverse workforce. The paper goes on to suggest that a unitary funding council may be established to best represent and assess the needs of the sector, a move which is likely to be resisted by the major national institutions.

The consultation is conducted at a time of stability for museums, with the sector widely perceived as having been one of the few winners in the recent Government spending round. Following intensive lobbying, museums have benefited from an influx of revenue through the expanded Renaissance in the Regions scheme, in addition to above-inflation spending increases. The Manifesto for Museums, drawn up by a partnership of national and regional bodies prior to the spending announcements, is cited in the consultation document as a collaborative effort that should be built upon to enable the sector ?to be a successful advocate for itself and fulfil its potential over coming years?. The consultation period is open until the end of June.

w: http://www.culture.gov.uk