UK government leaving museums vulnerable with ‘hands-off approach’, parliamentary report says

A cross-party UK parliamentary report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) criticizes the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) for an “almost hands-off approach” that leaves England’s 15 national museums and galleries vulnerable to risks including cyber and physical security threats. The report, titled “Financial Resilience of government-sponsored museums and galleries,” says DCMS—led by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy—lacks a clear picture of whether institutions deliver value for taxpayers and does not adequately monitor spending. It notes that in 2024–25 DCMS provided £484 million in grant-in-aid (46% of the museums’ total income), while self-generated income reached £563 million, a 53% real-terms increase since 2021–22. The PAC also highlights governance issues, including a 15% trustee vacancy rate across boards in October 2025 and an average appointment time of 219 days in 2024–25 versus a 90-day target, and it calls for metrics tied to DCMS “priority outcomes” (set in July 2024) within six months.

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