The Nerja Caves Foundation is set to adopt a proposal to put the project to complete the interior of the new museum out to tender and, barring any technical difficulties, it is thought that the museum could be open to the public at the end of 2010 or the beginning of 2011.
The main structure, built on a site provided by the Nerja Council, is finished, it just needs kitting out to hold the exhibits, a project which will take about 12 months to complete.
The first phase of the works cost €3 million and was financed by a loan from the Unicaja bank. In principle, the second phase of the works will also be financed through outside sources, although the manager of the Nerja Caves Foundation, Ángel Ramírez, has confirmed that the Junta de Andalucía will become involved in the museum project once it has been included in the Red de Museos de la Comunidad – the Museum Network.
The Nerja Council recently passed a motion requesting financial assistance from the provincial and regional authorities, although this was opposed by the opposition PSOE, who control the Nerja Caves Foundation.