The State's first science museum for children has been forced to shut just a year after opening due to lack of financial support.
The National Children's Discovery Museum in Ballybrit, Galway, has been closed until further notice, according to director Christine Domegan, who expressed regret yesterday at the development.
The museum could not continue indefinitely, when it was short of €300,000 in set-up costs, she said.
The discovery museum opened in early March 2004, and was visited by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern last October. It attracted over 44,000 visitors in its first year . The temporary site was provided by Galway City Council and the museum's long-term aim was to move to a larger purpose-built location on the east side of the city.
The museum was given a Fás social economy grant, and also received a loan from the Western Development Commission. It received small grants from the Irish Youth Foundation, Galway City Council and Galway County Council, and received sponsorship from local businesses. Applications to cover the 300,000 set-up costs have been lodged with the Department of Education and Science and the Dormant Accounts Fund, Dr Domegan said.
The museum was central to National Science Week, and Galway's own highly successful science and technology week last year. Its community and social remit involved working with schools in the west, and it facilitated 1,700 adults and children from the Share-a-Dream Foundation last summer. It was also working with the Galway Atlantaquaria in Salthill on a shared family membership initiative.
Dr Domegan said it had endeavoured to attract substantial corporate sponsorship in the absence of permanent State support. However, demands from other charities meant that it had "exhausted all avenues" when the decision was taken to shut last Friday.
The museum employed 20 staff at its peak. Last November it cut its seven-day schedule to five due to funding difficulties.
