Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will publish the (a) names, (b) postcode location and (c) year of closure of the museums that closed between 2010 and 2018.
The department does not systematically collect data on museum closure across the country, given the devolved nature of culture policy, the breadth of operating models in the sector, and the differing measures by which both museums and closures are assessed.
The recently published Mendoza Review found a dynamic and resilient sector, with museums across England adapting and diversifying. Whilst a number of museums have undergone restructuring, with some ceasing operations in recent years, regular new openings, mergers and expansions point to the sector’s vibrancy: 29 new UK applicants gained museum accreditation from Arts Council England over the year 2017-18.