A heritage society has vowed to fight “appalling” plans to shut the Museum of Oxford.

Tony Joyce, chairman of the Oxford Civic Society, said his 1,000-strong group would do everything it could to fight Oxford City Council’s bid to close down the museum.

Council officers have proposed shutting the 35-year-old attraction, which sits beside the Town Hall in St Aldate’s, in order to save £200,000 a year.

But Mr Joyce said the museum was particularly significant to Oxford as it provided “the history of the city, rather than the university”.

He said: “We are appalled at the prospect the museum might be closed.

“We will obviously be lobbying councillors and we will certainly be doing everything we can to encourage the city council to keep the museum open.

Once it’s closed it would be difficult to reopen it. The history of the university is very well known, but the history of the city is not represented, except through this museum.

“For tourists to really understand the city, and not just the university, they have to come here.”

Mr Joyce said he would be talking to Susie Scott, the museum’s new curator, later this month about how the museum could be developed in the future.

He was backed by Andrew Nairne, a former director of Modern Art Oxford, who is now the head of strategy at Arts Council England.

Mr Nairne said: “This is an important museum. It tells a fascinating story and everybody concerned with the importance of history, and the story of people in Oxford, should want this museum to stay open.

“Oxford has been at the heart of the history of this nation and if a city of Oxford’s importance and historical reputation cannot sustain this museum then it’s a real problem.”

The Museum of Oxford was created in 1974 and tells the history of the city over the past 1,000 years. It attracts about 55,000 visitors each year and employs 15 people.

Mary Clarkson, the council’s board member for culture and heritage, said she would meet museum staff on Wednesday to discuss their views and any ideas they had to keep the attraction open.

She said: “I am open-minded about the museum’s future. This is just one of the things we’re looking at.

“I would be very interested to talk to anybody who is willing to work collaboratively to keep the museum open or to share some of the costs.

“Closure of the museum remains a last resort.”

A final decision on the future of the museum will not be made until the authority’s budget is set at a full council meeting next month.

cwalker@oxfordmail.co.uk