Bristol Museums has "regretfully" closed two of its sites for the foreseeable future due to staff shortages. The Georgian House Museum and The Red Lodge Museum have been shut earlier than usual this year until spring next year.
The Georgian House is a historic site that explores what a Bristol sugar plantation and slave owner’s home might have looked like at the end of the 18th century, while The Red Lodge exhibits more than 400 years of history. Both sites shut on November 11 and are set to remain closed to the public until April 2023.
A statement on the Bristol Museums website reads: "Regretfully we have taken the decision to close The Georgian House Museum and The Red Lodge Museum early this year, due to staff shortages. Staff will be working behind the scenes to maintain the building and to ready it for opening once more in April 2023.
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"You can still visit our other sites as normal. Please check the individual web pages for opening hours for Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, M Shed, Blaise Museum and Bristol Archives."
The news comes after Bristol City Council announced a 10 per cent cut to the museums and archive budget earlier in the year, slashing its funding by £436,000. At the time, the council said balancing the budget and avoiding cuts to frontline services require savings to the culture service in line with other departments.
Bristol Museums also incorporates M Shed, Bristol Museum and Gallery, Blaise Museum and Bristol Archives.
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