The Stage

Select committee to probe Theatre Museum closure

Published Thursday 5 October 2006 at 11:40 by Alistair Smith

The Victoria and Albert Museum’s decision to close down Covent Garden’s Theatre Museum is to come under scrutiny from the cross-party Culture, Media and Sport Committee, its chair has revealed.

Tory MP John Whittingdale, former Shadow Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport and now chairman of the group, told The Stage that the select committee would want to investigate what had happened as part of its ongoing inquiry into the state of the nation’s museums, entitled Caring for our Collections.

He explained: “I am very disappointed that it has not been possible for the Theatre Museum to reach an agreement with the Royal Opera House to preserve the collection in the West End. I believe that it will be a considerable loss to the theatrical community and to all those who love theatre.”

“The select committee is currently undertaking an inquiry into museums and I am sure that we will want to look at the reasons why it has not been possible to save the museum, whether there is anything that can still be done and what lessons there are for museums generally to try to stop this happening again.”

A number of theatre organisations have already made written submissions to the committee. One of these was Equity, which in its submission calls for the V&A to be forced to reverse the closure of the museum and for the government to look into additional funding streams for it, adding: “It would appear that the decision to close the Covent Garden site, with little or no commitment to display the collection in an alternative venue, was made without the scrutiny of parliament, either through a debate in either House or specifically the consideration of the select committee.” It also stresses that the V&A is specifically given responsibility in the Heritage Act to “administer the Theatre Museum”.

Oral evidence sessions are expected to be held during October and November. The V&A said last week that the Theatre Museum was to close permanently in January after partnership plans with the ROH collapsed due to lack of funds.