The National Museum of Costume in Dumfries and Galloway is facing closure as National Museums Scotland (NMS) says it cannot continue to operate the site in face of public spending cuts.

The museum, which showcases fashion from the Victorian era to the twentieth century, only receives 10,000 annual visits and 5,000 to the shop, café and grounds, making a large operational spend of £23 per visitor.

The NMS board of trustees will decide the fate of the museum at the next board meeting in February.

The museum was donated to the secretary of state for the environment in 1977 and ownership lies with Scottish ministers. Opposition parties have called on culture secretary, Fiona Hyslop to save it.

"If this was a museum in Glasgow or Edinburgh, you can be sure the Scottish National Party would be doing all they could to keep it open, but they don't care because it is in Dumfries and Galloway,” said Russell Brown, Labour MP for Dumries and Galloway.

Fearing for the impact a closure would have on the local economy, Dumfries and Galloway Council and Chamber of Commerce have called for a 12 month delay in closure, but the NMS said this would just prolong uncertainty for the region and staff.