MOSI merge with London museum to resolve funding crisis

The Manchester Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) are currently in talks over a possible merger with the London Museum of Science and Industry. Last year MOSI was told that they would lose all their government funding by 2015; the merger with the London museum would mean that MOSI was part of a large group of museums funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Science (DCMS). The DCMS funds many other museums including the National Railway Museum in York and the National Media Museum in Bradford.

MOSI has been open since 1983 and depicts the story of how Manchester and the rest of the North West led the industrial revolution as well as subsequent science and technology innovations. It was originally part of the Liverpool Road railway station that opened in 1830, the museum was opened here as part of a campaign to save the site. As one of the most popular attractions in the North West, MOSI draws in 800,000 visitors a year, making it a great source of income for the city and surrounding businesses. The merger could secure the museum without the need to search for a local sponsor.

“Although a lot of detailed work needs to be done before a final decision is made, I hope to make an announcement shortly” said Peter Fell the interim chairman of MOSI on Friday. The museum has been trying to find alternative sources of funding since November 2010 when the government announced that local museums would have their funding withdrawn.

Mr Fell has assured the public and his 121 staff members that the MOSI trustees will ensure any decision made ensures the long-term sustainability of the museum.