Campaign to keep museums free

A campaign to fight off plans to introduce an admission fee at museums was mounted in Paisley.

And one of the first people to sign a petition calling on the Government to think again was Councillor Olga Clayton, we reported on October 1986.

“It is important that people have free access to their own heritage,”she said.

“Publicly-funded museums belong to us all and should be open to people without a charge being imposed.

“They’re a tremendous source of education, entertainment and enjoyment.”

And the local councillor, who was convener of the arts and leisure committee on Renfrew District Council, called on people to lend their support.

“They have to come out and sign the petition to let the Government know how we feel,”she added.

“They’re already starting to put pressure on many of the national museums faced with a financial squeeze.

“We could be next in line and must take action to let the Government know that this local authority will not consider the introduction of admission charges in order to off-set financial cut-backs.”

Paisley South MP Norman Buchan backed the campaign.

“We must protect this right of free access to British museums,”he said.

Paisley Museum, which opened in 1871, was the first municipal museum in Scotland.