Mr Marsden believes the closures would harm Huddersfield’s tourism industry.

“It’s discouraging people from visiting the town,” he said.

“If you bring someone to Huddersfield, you would expect to be able to offer people some insight into the town through art and museums.”

Mr Marsden added that Kirklees should consider less radical ways to save money.

“I would like to know the rationale behind this,” he said.

“Closing museums for one day a week, or shutting earlier in the evening would be kinder.

“Closing for three months would be hard. The winter is a good time to visit museums, in the summer people want to do outdoor things, like go to Yorkshire Sculpture Park.”

A Kirklees spokeswoman said last night that no decision had been made about closing museums.

She said: “At this time of year the council begins the process of setting the budget for the coming year as part of its three year budget plan.

“The need for changes to opening hours was accepted last year by councillors, for implementation in 2012. To meet that timetable, the discussions with staff and trade unions need to begin now.

“There is a continuing need for us to achieve efficiencies from across the whole range of services and councillors have some difficult decisions to make.

“As part of last year’s budget settlement, there was all-party agreement to look at the option of reducing museum opening hours.”