The Cromwell Museum is running out of money to keep operating until volunteers and staff can move to the new town hall and events centre in Melmore Terrace.

Founding trustee Martin Anderson and director Jennifer Hay addressed the Cromwell Community Board on Monday to say they were $25,000 short until pay day in July, when the council's next annual $40,000 funding came through.

They were looking for some emergency funding to tie them over and said the $20,000 they would usually get from Lotteries for the past six years, had not been forthcoming.

There was also funding through Pub Charity and Te Papa National Museum but that was more specific to projects.

“We only have three months' income left and we have to keep our museum open,” Martin said.

Community grants through council was another option but applications closed in March and weren’t decided until May - by then it could be too late for the museum.

Martin said they had also submitted a proposal to council for a restructure of the museum, provided it moved into the Cromwell Memorial Hall and events centre.

“It will become a real drawcard to the new facility and we’ll be the only one open every day in there,” he said.

The Cromwell museum was currently based in the mall and ran on an operating model of 2800 volunteer hours a year.

Martin said it was hoped that they could fund a fulltime director position for the museum, but there was a lot of work to do in 18 months to pack up and move.

Jennifer said they may have to close later in the year to get organised, “because there is quite a lot of time and expertise involved.”

New content development for each of the displays also needed to be organised before the move.

CCB chair Anna Harrison said the board would be considering the museum as it worked through the different operating models for the new memorial hall and events centre.

“We have an awareness of these pressures that are on you at the moment,” she said.

Local companies had also been approached for sponsorship, that might be interested in some of the displays that could align with their business.

Have a story to share?

Contact [email protected]