Northern Ireland's museums and galleries are failing to adequately store and document artefacts of national significance, a report claimed today.
The Audit Office - which reports to Britain's parliament on the running of government departments - highlighted several shortcomings in the preservation of the national collection.
The report found that more than half of the storage area for the Museums and Galleries Northern Ireland (Magni) collection was either poor or unacceptable. Only a tenth of the national collection is on display at any given time.
Magni is responsible for 1.5 million artefacts of significant historical, cultural or scientific value at its four museums - Ulster Museum, Armagh County Museum, Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and Ulster-American Folk Park. Parts of the collection have a considerable monetary value.
The main stores at Ulster Museum and the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum were found to be "good" and "excellent" respectively, but around 60 per cent of Magni overall storage area was either "poor" or "unacceptable".
Although Magni agreed with the findings, it said that 90 per cent of its collection not on display, particularly artefacts considered most valuable, is stored adequately.
A Magni spokeswoman said it was already working to implement key recommendations.
The Ulster Museum is to close at the end of August for two and a half years for a £12 million refurbishment programme. The original museum was built in 1929 and was extended in 1972.
PA