24 July 2012 Last updated at 15:15 ET

Elmbridge Museum disposes of 3,500 objects

Elmbridge Museum's collection currently includes 41,000 objects, of which 3,500 will be disposed of

Council archives and documents are among more than 3,500 items being removed from the collection of a Surrey museum which is earmarked for closure.

The documents from Elmbridge Museum will be transferred to Surrey History Centre in Woking for cataloguing.

It follows a review of the museum's entire collection of 41,000 objects ahead of the closure, provisionally set for 20 August.

Objects not being removed from the collection will be put into storage.

Elmbridge Borough Council said it would develop a new museum website early next year and open a resources centre to give access to the remaining collection.

Costume and fashion

The council said many of the items to be disposed of were rarely on display at the museum, above Weybridge Library in Church Street.

Items of clothing and accessories with little connection to the borough will be offered to other museums and colleges specialising in costume and fashion.

It is hoped to return archaeological and geological specimens from outside the borough to other relevant museums.

Only items in very poor condition will be destroyed.

"The disposal of objects from Elmbridge Museum's collection provides a real opportunity to give many objects a new lease of life, increasing their accessibility to the public and ensuring these objects receive the best level of care for the future," said Councillor Jan Fuller.