Tourism leaders fear Canberra's reputation and economy could be damaged without an urgent injection of funds into the cash-strapped national institutions.
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The Canberra Times can reveal ACT Chief Minister and Tourism Minister Andrew Barr has been lobbying his federal colleagues behind the scenes in the hope of a funding boost for the cultural attractions in the next budget.
After years being forced to find savings as a result of Commonwealth efficiency dividends, the perilous state of some of Canberra's beloved collecting institutions has come to light in recent weeks.
The National Gallery of Australia has revealed it might have to close two days a week, reintroduce entry fees and cut back on staff as it faces a potential $265 million funding shortfall in the next decade.
The National Library has also warned that its online database Trove might disappear without new cash to keep it running beyond this financial year.
Federal Arts Minister Tony Burke this week confirmed the government was considering funding for the institutions as part of its deliberations ahead of the next budget in May.
In a sign Labor is committed to addressing the problem, ensuring Australia has "strong institutions" will be one of the key pillars of a new national cultural policy which Mr Burke will unveil in Melbourne late next month.
Mr Burke said he was "acutely aware" the institutions had suffered from a "decade-long culture war waged by the previous Liberal/National government".
The National Capital Attractions Association, which represents the national institutions, said some of the attractions were operating on "bare bones" and there would be "serious ramifications" if no new funding was provided.
The association's president, Russell Jackson, said if the institutions were forced to scale back their operations then visitor numbers would take a hit.
"These institutions are the things that no other state or city can spruik, so when people are making choices about where to visit, they are a huge lure," Mr Jackson said.
"If they are not going to be open and accessible all the time it will impact people's decisions to come to Canberra generally."
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Mr Jackson said that would have flow-on effects for the other parts of the Canberra economy which benefit from visitors, including restaurants and hotels.
But he stressed that properly funding the cultural icons was not just about Canberra, but the entire nation.
"It's (the institutions) our story ... that's our history," he said.
"So we'd hope that that significance is appreciated."
During consultation on the cultural policy, national museums and galleries told the federal government they were at an "impasse" after a decade of underfunding left them unable to compete with similar attractions in Australia and overseas.
Canberra tourism sector veteran David Marshall said he had written to Mr Burke twice since the federal election to press the case for more funding for the institutions.
Mr Marshall said the situation was the result of decades of neglect, not just the past nine years under the Coalition.
"I can't think of another world capital where its institutions, which are really the treasure trove, the story of a country, are treated like this," he said.
Raising the profile of Canberra's national institutional is a key part of the ACT government's newly released tourism strategy, which aims to grow the annual visitor economy to $4 billion by 2030.
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
