A petition has been launched to save the folklife gallery in the Manx Museum.

Manx National Heritage has confirmed that the lower folklife gallery at the Douglas museum is to be closed to make way for a new TT display.

Curator of social history Matthew Richardson said that while people may have fond memories of the basement gallery, very few visit it these days - and those that do, pass through without stopping.

The online petition to save the galley has been set up by Lynn Mather who described the museum’s plan as a ’ludicrous idea’.

Her petition has already collected more than 1,900 names.

She said: ’I felt I had to do my bit to try to have this idea thrown out.

’I am not saying that a TT exhibition isn’t a great idea, I love the races.

’But there are some changes being thought of that are ridiculous.

’A museum is a way of showing people over the decades how life was in the past, and a place for treasuring things that would otherwise be lost.

’Why then would they wish to do away with something that is such a connection to our past?

’The Folk Gallery surely is too important an exhibition for the young of our island, showing in such a vivid way how our ancestors lived, to even think of dismantling it.’

The folklife gallery, complete with its Manx cottage, sweetie shop, fishermen’s shed and costume displays, hasn’t changed much since it opened in 1938.

Head of professional services Kirsty Neate said the move to replace it by 2022 with a gallery looking at the social history of the TT, followed research into how the museum could appeal to a wider audience.

The summer TT exhibition put on for the centenary of the races in 2007 was the most popular one the museum has ever put on.

Some of the key exhibits such as the farmhouse and the little shops could be ’repurposed’ for possible use at the House of Manannan, she said.

You can read the petition at https://www.change.org/p/isle-of-man-government-keep-the-manx-musem-folk-gallery