Birmingham’s two leading museums have launched a recruitment campaign for eight inspiring individuals to join their board of trustees following their merger.

The council-owned Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and Thinktank Trust are joining forces in a new Birmingham Museums Trust in April in a bid to share knowledge, resources and the benefits of charitable status.

As part of the merger, a new board is being set up to look for up to eight dynamic and philanthropic people to give their time to promote the arts, culture and science in the city.

They will join permanent trustees from the city council, the chamber of commerce and Industry, the University of Birmingham and the two museums.

The merger also marks a new era in the development of both venues and their combined might will see the new Trust enter the world’s top 40 museums – through a total of more than one million visitors a year.

With the success of the Staffordshire Hoard and new developments such as the Birmingham History Galleries, a Made in Birmingham exhibition and Thinktank Science Garden set to open later this year they are optimistic that even more people will be coming through their doors.

Chairman of Thinktank Len Clark, who has been overseeing the merger, is stepping down to allow a new person to take over. He said: “I have been chairing Thinktank for eight years and it is time for someone else. No-one wants a retired councillor like me.

“We are also looking for a new board of trustees to move the Trust forward for the benefit of Birmingham. This is an exciting opportunity.”