Welsh Journals

BRECKNOCK MUSEUM & ART GALLERY REPORT Nov 1997 January 2000 The Museum continues to flourish with its ongoing redevelopment programme, healthy level of acquisitions and one of the liveliest programmes of art and historical exhibitions for a museum of its size and staffing in Wales. The Museum's location, building, existing collections and reputation, built up since the 1920s, are an important contribution to this success but-just as important-are dedicated staff, supportive Friends, volunteers and councillors and generous grant-funding bodies and benefactors. Of course, difficulties have had to be faced. Following budget cuts outlined in the last report [Brycheiniog, XXIX, pp. 11-14) the Museum has had to come to terms with the introduction of admission charges in April 1997 and the consequent fall in visitor numbers by a third. Children and Friends were admitted for free but everyone else had to pay a pound or fifty pence concession. Following a high profile campaign by the Friends-led by its chairman Ken Jones-the Council recognised the desirability of admitting Powys residents for free. Since June 1998 local residents have been able to obtain a Powys Museum Pass which entitles them to free admission to museums directly administered by the Council. This has been popular but, despite this, visitor numbers at Brecknock Museum have not recovered to pre-charging days. They seem to be averaging at 21,000 instead of 26,000 a year, a drop of about 20%. Commercial activities other than charging for admission are making a greater contribution to income. The refitted shop-long anticipated by the staff-was completed in March 1999 and sales have increased. Second-hand books now raise twice as much income as the donation box. Income is also derived from letting rooms in the Old Museum to artists and conservators, charging researchers and publishers for photocopies and reproduction fees and, significantly, taking commission from the sale of artworks. The major event in the Museum's redevelopment over the past two years must have been the opening by Lord Chief Justice Bingham on the evening of Friday 14th August 1998 of the reinterpreted Victorian Assize Court. A court case set in the 1880s provides the focus for a lively interpretation with nearly thirty life-sized figures (supplied by Gems of London) and a son et lumiere show (recorded by Dogrose of Ludlow and technically co-ordinated by Eos Electronics of Barry). Friends and volunteers gathered in the courtroom with actor Ted Kelsey to make the recording. Funding was largely provided by the European Regional Development Fund, the Wales Tourist Board and the Social Development Fund of Powys County Council. Other grant- funded work-some of it supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund-has been the refit of the shop, the acquisition of stacking chairs for talks, two tall glass display cases and a comprehensively planned system of internal signing. The latter has been carefully designed-by the Dogrose T rust-to be easily used by visually impaired visitors.