The Western Australian Museum in Albany is one of seven museums across the State which will be forced to close on a weekly basis to save an expected $350,000 in the first year.

WA Museum acting chief executive officer Diana Jones said the decision had been endorsed by the WA Museum Board of Trustees to assist in meeting the State Government’s efficiency requirements.

“The Western Australian Museum has the most public sites of any state museum in Australia and closing a day a week is seen as one of the best strategies to reduce costs while retaining the museum’s present staff levels,” Ms Jones said.

“It also allows the museum to remain open on weekends and some public holidays,” Ms Jones said.

Acting Labor leader Roger Cook said Albany’s museum was an important tourist attraction providing exhibitions, education and public programs and information about the history of the region and its Indigenous background.

“Closing the museum one day a week is a cruel blow to the tourism industry which is already struggling,” he said.