Conservative-run Leicestershire County Council has admitted it may not now press ahead with it plans for a mining heritage museum in Coalville if it shuts Snibston Discovery Park.
County Hall had said it intended to save cash by closing Snibston and replacing it with a smaller scale, cheaper to run mining attraction based on the old colliery site.
Now however it says these plan will be reviewed after the Government's comprehensive spending review, later this year, once the impact on council funding is known.
County Hall says it will costs £900,000 a year to run Snibston - an unaffordable sum at a time of Government finance cuts.
The mining museum proposed would cost £320,000 annually but even that may not open now.
Council leader Nick Rushton declined to answer any questions about Snibston but, in a statement, said: "We can't afford to spend £900,000 per year on Snibston, when the council has to save £120 million."
He added: "When we are face with horrendous cuts to adult social care and our children's budgets keeping Snibston as it is simply isn't an option."
The council has dismissed a business plan drawn up by the Friends of Snibston campaign group to run Snibston through and independent charitable trust.
Cabinet member for museums councillor Richard Blunt said: "We're not alone in facing this issue – many other councils, including Derby, are having to cut museum funding, in order to protect statutory services.
"We've given the Friends ample time and information to develop their proposals over the last year.
"I'm disappointed that they have not set up the trust they say will run the museum and an independent assessor says their plans are not financially viable.
"I'm concerned that, if we backed the Friends' current plans, we would be left with considerable costs and liabilities, which could lead to cuts to other services."
Friends group chairman Brian Vollar said: "In the short term we will appeal to county councillors because we feel these decisions are actually being made by highly paid unelected council officials rather than councillors.
"Now it appears there is doubt over the replacement mining museum so we could end up with no attraction there at all."
He said if the council's cabinet approved the closure when it meets on Wednesday, there was still the possibility of a legal challenge through a judicial review."
Under the plan parts of the Snibston site would be cleared and sold for redevelopment.
Labour parliamentary candidate for North West Leicestershire Jamie McMahon said: "The campaign to save Snibston has been loud and clear. People right across Leicestershire want Snibston saved.
"Saving Snibston is not only what people want but it's also vital for the local economy.
"Snibston brings over £4 million into the Coalville economy every year yet the council claims closing it will have no significant impact on the social, economic or environmental well-being of the county area.
"I do not think there is anyone living in Coalville believes that to be true."
Labour's Coalville county councillor Terri Eynon said: "The Tories at County Hall have been consistent in their determination to continue with plans to close Snibston Discovery Museum.
""The council is hiding the weakness of their own plans behind a pile of papers attacking the alternative."
