From Robert Le Maistre.
AS chairman of the Friends of the Maritime Museum I am writing to publicly voice our concern over the funding situation with regard to Jersey Heritage, which threatens the continued operation of the Maritime Museum.

As an organisation we started promoting, planning and lobbying for the creation of a maritime museum for the Island in 1987. Ten years later our goal was achieved with the opening of the museum, the quality and innovative approach to which was recognised nationally when the Island won the Museum of the Year award for a second time (only one other museum organisation in the entire United Kingdom has managed to achieve this recognition).

Our Island’s history is inextricably linked with the sea, which for generations, through shipbuilding, fishing and trade provided the Island with much of its wealth. 1997 was very much a watershed for until then there was very little to show Islanders or tourists of our rich nautical heritage. The site is not just a venue for tourists to visit, it is an integral part of our Island community; volunteers give hundreds of hours of their time to talk to people and maintain the Island’s heritage fleet of boats, hundreds of the Island’s school children take part in educational visits to the site and the staff, volunteers and our members are a repository of maritime knowledge.

As our members travel the world the name of the Jersey Maritime Museum is recognised for its exciting approach to maritime history. The museum is not there just to preserve and display nautical artefacts; the interactive nature of the exhibition means that visitors engage with the past while at the same time the skills practised in the boat shop ensure that the skills of traditional boat building and restoration are passed on to future generations.

Although we recognise it is a difficult time, we urge States Members to support any initiative that helps keep the Maritime Museum afloat in order to maintain its role in the community and reflect the Island’s special identity.

The Maritime Museum provides us with a window on the past but is intrinsically linked with the future generations of Islanders and in order for it to continue educating and attracting visitors, adequate funding, which will allow Jersey Heritage to update, improve and enhance the museum, is vital. The assistance given to schools and other States departments is often unseen by the general public but the Island would be a poorer place without it.

Our members are extremely concerned that if Jersey Heritage is not able to achieve the funding required, then as reported, the Maritime Museum will be forced to close, the exhibits dismantled and the fleet dispersed. This is a situation that cannot be allowed to happen. When the Maritime Museum opened in 1997 it was considered then almost too late to preserve what was left of our nautical heritage so we certainly do not wish to remember 2009 as the year that it was lost forever.

We have already written to all States Members expressing our concerns. The States by providing the funding requested by Jersey Heritage, or perhaps by reducing the rental to an affordable level, will be helping us preserve this crucial part of Jersey’s heritage for the benefit of future generations, thereby ensuring we pass it on, not pass it by.
Field End,
Rue des Buttes,
St Martin.