LETTERS
Saving museums
Sir: I welcome Tanya Harrod's article (Arts, 26 March) on the predicament of the Hornimari and Geffrye museums as a very fair review of the situation. I have not seen the report by Mr Dunning which she mentions, and was therefore much in- terested by her outline of his recommenda- tions.
Whichever may be the favoured solu- tion, it seems inescapable, so far at least as the Horniman is concerned, that the museum must look to central government to find its running costs. There really does not appear to be any other source on which the museum could depend for the assured basic income which is essential for this sort of institution. Government should not find that too hard — or costly — a pill to swallow. Last year the museum had up- wards of 240,000 visitors and I do not think I am being unduly partial in describing it and the Horniman Gardens as a unique London asset, which would be irreplace- able if allowed to disappear.
Michael Horniman
Limbury, Salway Ash, Bridport, Dorset
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