Sheffield’s museums set to merge with plans for free entry across all sites

Currently, the Millennium Gallery, Weston Park Museum and Graves Gallery come under one organisation: Museums Sheffield.

Kelham Island Museum, Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet and Shepherd Wheel come under another: Sheffield Industrial Museums.

Both independent charitable trusts were set up in the 1990s by Sheffield Council to look after the city’s treasures.

Under new plans both organisations will merge to form one called Sheffield Museums Trust from April this year.

It is a decision that is set to be formally endorsed and welcomed by the council’s cabinet in a meeting this week.

In a council report, officers said benefits included more sustainable and efficient organisation with complementary expertise, more opportunities for staff, a higher profile for museums and heritage in the city, consistency across all sites and better opportunities to display more artefacts in more imaginative ways.

They said: “Sheffield Museums Trust will become one of the largest groups of museum sites in the country, with a unique opportunity to showcase and celebrate the history, development and diversity of the city, while allowing us to take our place on a national stage.

“It will become an even greater asset to Sheffield people and to our visitors. A merged museums trust opens up opportunities for additional external funding, and creates a more resilient, flexible and skilled organisation for the future.

“More of the Sheffield Collection will become accessible for Sheffield people to enjoy. Both Trust Boards see this as a strongly positive step for the future.”

Currently, Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet and Kelham Island Museum charge an entrance fee while Shepherd Wheel and all Museums Sheffield sites are free to enter unless for specific events or exhibitions.

Under the new Trust, all sites will have free admission as soon as is practicable with the aim of increasing visitor numbers and improving access.

Discussions around the two trusts joining forces have been ongoing since 2017.

The new Trust may also be able to bid for larger sums of Arts Council funding as a combined organisation.

The council said its understanding is all staff will be transferred into a new joint staffing structure.

A three-year business plan was also released against what the trusts called a backdrop of economic uncertainty.

They said the first two years will likely be challenging and initially they will focus on stabilizing the foundations.

Their aims by the end of the first year include a summer launch programme, a masterplan for the next decade, a new website, a team induction programme, a race-inclusion action plan, a bid to Arts Council England, establishing service principles, market research and new signage.

Council officers said in their report both trusts responded resourcefully to the Covid crisis, utilising furlough, business support grants and Culture Recovery Funding to remain viable, avoid compulsory redundancies and mitigate lost earned income.

Proposals will be presented to the cabinet in a meeting on Wednesday, February 17 for approval.

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