Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964

Museums and art galleries

12 Provision and maintenance of museums and galleries

(1) A local authority may provide and maintain museums and art galleries within its administrative area or elsewhere in England or Wales, and may do all such things as may be necessary or expedient for or in connection with the provision or maintenance thereof:

Provided that a local authority not being a library authority and not already maintaining a museum or art gallery under this section shall not provide a museum or art gallery thereunder without the consent of the Secretary of State; and that consent may be given subject to such conditions as the Secretary of State thinks fit, and he may at any time vary or revoke any of the conditions.

(2) A local authority maintaining a museum or art gallery under this section may with the consent of the Secretary of State enter into an agreement with any other local authority empowered to maintain it for the transfer of the museum or gallery and its collections to that authority.

13 Charges for admission to museums and galleries

(1) A local authority may make a charge for admission to a museum or art gallery maintained by it under section 12 of this Act.

(2) In determining whether, and in what manner, to exercise its powers under this section in relation to a museum or gallery, a local authority shall take into account the need to secure that the museum or gallery plays its full part in the promotion of education in the area, and shall have particular regard to the interests of children and students.

14 Contributions to expenses of museums and galleries

A local authority being a library authority or maintaining a museum or art gallery under section 12 above may make contributions towards expense incurred by any person—

(a) in providing or maintaining a museum or art gallery in any place within England or Wales, or

(b) in providing advisory or other services or financial assistance for the benefit of a museum or art gallery in any such place.

15 Power to establish fund for purchase of exhibits

(1) A local authority maintaining a museum or art gallery under section 12 of this Act may establish a fund to be used for the purchase of objects for exhibition in any museum or art gallery for the time being so maintained by the authority.

(2) Where at the time a fund is established by it under this section a local authority maintains under a local Act a fund which it is authorised to use for the purchase of such objects as aforesaid, the Minister of Housing and Local Government may, by order made on the application of the local authority, provide for the amalgamation of the funds.

(3) The provisions of Schedule 2 to this Act shall apply with respect to the management of a fund established by a local authority under this section.

(4) This section shall not apply to the council of a parish or the council of a borough included in a rural district.