[ad_1]
National museums, including Victoria & Albert of London (V & A) and the Royal Museums of Greenwich, have expressed concerns about the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union without agreement.
Many of these flagship museums are afraid of not concluding a commercial deal with the bloc, which could drive up taxes on imports, which would have a direct impact on the exhibits.
As a result, they believe that less attractive emissions will limit the number of tourists going to British cities for their culture.
READ MORE: Brexit LIVE: contract to be settled in 21 DAYS – Raab reveals agreement "FIRST"
V & A Director, Tristram Hunt, told the Evening Standard: "What's important to us is how a Brexit without agreement would affect the preparation of exhibitions and the shifting of our exhibitions into the whole world.
"Our ability to hold large-scale exhibitions while paying import fees would be really problematic.
"Our ability to promote soft power and British influence through shows such as David Bowie's and Pink Floyd would be seriously compromised.
"It's bad for the economy of visitors to London. Four out of five London visitors come for culture, and they are drawn to major museums and world-class exhibitions. "
Mr Hunt added that an agreement on Brexit could even be "potentially detrimental to the British influence abroad".
In a secret note from its head of Brexit and the international strategy dated September 4 and published under Freedom of Information, the V & A warned that its costs could reach 25 million pounds sterling in case of Brexit without agreement, due import taxes applied on exhibitions.
The note added: "We will fight to keep the museum open to the public in the immediate future."
But museums and institutions also fear the potential loss of funding for research.
In another note also written in September, the Natural History Museum said it risked losing £ 2 million in research funding and predicted.
The London museum has shown a potential drop in tourist visits of up to 15%, which would reduce revenue by £ 2.4 million.
He also warned against a negative emotional message and the potential departure of 150 people.
The document said: "The uncertainty as to what a scenario would entail makes planning very difficult."
The Royal Museums of Greenwich have also mentioned a possible loss of paralyzing personnel, with the posts of 70 people from EU countries potentially at risk.
Before the referendum on the European Union in 2016, the Brexiteers, including Boris Johnson, had dismissed the concerns already raised by major museums.
A signed open letter, stating that reducing EU costs would have created "more than enough money" to spend on museums.
However, former Secretary of Culture Ben Bradshaw, who is now supporting the People's Vote campaign for a new referendum, has fueled the fears of museums. He said: "The disorder created by the Brexit elite in Westminster is now casting a shadow over the future of our great museums.
"Every year, millions of people visit them to discover and enjoy some of the most extraordinary collections on this planet. Now, because of Brexit's ideological and half-cooked way, our museums are facing new costs, a shortage of staff, and may even have to close their doors. "
