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Culture sector review raises prospect of museum closures

Museums in the Netherlands are being asked to consider merging or sharing collections as the government continues to look for cuts in the cultural sector.

A review of the country’s museum estate announced by the Council of Culture (Raad voor Cultuur) will look at ways of saving and combining resources among the country’s 545 registered museums.

Culture minister Halbe Zijlstra says museums ‘can do more to work together better’, adding that some may close as a result of mergers.

A review of cultural assets was first suggested by the Council of Culture in a report last year, entitled Enforced Choices, which set out its response to the government’s budget cuts programme.

The council has also been asked to look at the possibility of giving museums financial responsibility for the buildings they occupy, such as the Rijksmuseum, which is currently maintained by the government.

The bulk of the nation’s museums are funded by local government, but 29 are subsidised by the central government, which is looking to cut the annual cultural subsidy from €900 million to €700 million by 2016.

Source: NRC: Raad voor Cultuur neemt museumbestel onder de loep

Photo by jankie

See also: Council for Culture website (in English)