Covent Garden's Theatre Museum to close on Sunday

After several long campaigns to stall or halt the decision, London's Theatre Museum in Covent Garden will unfortunately close its doors on Sunday 7th January. But it will continue its education and outreach work until August 2007.

The Victoria & Albert Museum in South Kensington opened the museum at its current location twenty years ago in 1987, and ever since have been responsible for it. The decision to close the Covent Garden site came last year, after two failed bids made to the Heritage Lottery Fund to breathe new life into the Theatre Museum, with the initial intention of moving the museum's collections to the main Victoria & Albert site.

There was a public outcry to the announcement which led to many angry letters from such famous names as Dame Judi Dench, Vanessa Redgrave and Peter Bowles, to national newspapers stating, "We are horrified that this important and world-renowned museum could be closed and its collection broken up." Shortly after, with the establishment of The Stage newspaper's 'Save our Theatre Museum' campaign, discussions with the Royal Opera House about a joint management of the Theatre Museum were launched. These subsequently collapsed.

The latest efforts by 'The Guardians of the Theatre Museum' who have so far collected over 12,170 signatures for their online petition to re-open the Covent Garden site, accuse the Victoria & Albert Museum of "...breaking its statutory obligation under the Heritage Act 1983 to set up and maintain a separate Theatre Museum. The Guardians want to make the V&A keep its word and re-open the Russell Street site to the public."

The 'Guardians of the Theatre Museum' are supported by The Theatrical Management Association, The Stephen Sondheim Society, The Theatres Trust, The Stage Management Association, The National Operatic and Dramatic Association, The National Campaign for the Arts, The Critics' Circle, Equity and The Society of London Theatre among many other organisations.

For more information, and to become a Guardian, please visit www.theatremuseumguardians.org.uk

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