Museum plan to beat cash crisis
School holiday programme, bingo help raise funds
FACING a funding crisis, South End Museum has turned to innovative ways to raise money – from bingo nights to schools programmes in the holidays and memorial lecturers. The museum, formerly known as the Seaman’s Institute, has been battling financially over the last few weeks due to its National Lottery funding being cut.
Administrator Colin Abrahams says the amount of money received is now significantly less, so putting pressure on day-to-day operations.
But the museum is determined to get over this hurdle.
During the winter school holidays, which start next week, the museum will host a programme with the aim of getting feet through the doors, providing the bonus of teaching children more about the history of the city.
The programme will run from Monday to Thursday and will include a host of activities and lessons. Abrahams says the programme has been designed to keep children occupied during the holidays.
“Every primary school child who visits the museum receives a family tree to help start learning about their own heritage.”
A host of new additions have been implemented at the museum in an attempt to bring in income.
Eight offices have been refurbished and have been leased out, providing the museum with a monthly income.
Bingo drives have already started and the final touches are being put on plans to host jazz sessions and a heritage tour.
“We are also in the discussion phase about the possibility of a celebrity dinner, but many issues still need ironing out before it becomes a reality,” Abrahams said
Another way the museum has been raising funds has been the addition of the South Boulevard Cafe, for which they put out a tender for someone to operate under the auspices of the museum to bring in a monthly income.
The museum will also host its annual George Botha Memorial Lecture on July 2 with this year’s address by Rural Development and Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti.
The lectures, which started in 2007, have seen the likes of NMMU vicechancellor Professor Derrick Swarts, Dr Allan Boesak and Prof Kader Asmal speak.
The lectures deal with issues related to the injustices of the apartheid era.
“Heritage is very important, especially for our children.
“We tell every child who visits the museum to remember that we are all South African.
“We don’t put them into compartments, because that is where the problems arise,” Abrahams said.
Looking ahead, he said the museum needed new trustees to come on board and also required expertise to help the museum continue.
“We need a younger group of trustees to bring some fresh ideas and take the museum to the next level,” Abrahams said.