"We'll be shutting the doors come November if we don't secure significant funding," Lauren Reed, the president of the Katherine Historical Society said.

Until now, the museum has kept afloat on a shoestring budget, securing sporadic funding where it can and relying on an ever dwindling drizzle of tourists to flow through.

But funding has dried up, and as we know, tourism numbers have fallen drastically across the Territory.

"We need help," Mrs Reed said today at the museum.

"The community needs the museum, we need it for the tourists, people would be livid if it closed," she said.

As it stands, the museum is lucky to see 6000 visitors each year, a painful fall from about 12,000 seen in more fruitful days - a time when The Ghan was still dropping interstate and overseas groups off in large numbers.

"We know how much we have in the kitty, and it just isn't enough to keep going beyond this year," Mrs Reed said.

"We have done everything from a community standpoint, but now we need government assistance, corporate assistance and council assistance."

Less than a year before its 35th anniversary, historic collections entrusted for keepsake, stories of war and our First Nations people are under threat.

Kintore Street School stands to lose its community garden, the Biggest Morning Tea would be forced out, and the Katherine Vehicle Enthusiast Club would need to pack up and relocate.

"The museum is more than a place people come to look at our long history, it's a community hub," Mrs Reed said.

"I'd be gutted if we had to close."

The Katherine Historical Society has launched a petition to the Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory to keep the museum open.

Put online Thursday, social media networks went into virtual meltdown with concerned community members getting behind the cause - since it went up, the petition has garnered about 2000 signatures.

The society has meetings lined up with the NT's Minister for Tourism and has already spoken to Katherine's Mayor, Fay Miller.

To keep running, the museum needs a yearly fund of $200,000.

"We already wrack up 11,000 hours worth of volunteer support - to run the tea room, to help with tickets and our fundraisers - but we can't run on volunteers," Mrs Reed said.

Simmone Croft has been the museum's manager and curator for about 20 years.

She has focused on developing community stories and telling those of the unsung heroes.

"One whole wall is dedicated to cultural stories," she said.

"You don't get that anywhere else in Katherine."

She said she would be heartbroken if the place she had dedicated countless hours met ill fate.

"There are collections people have entrusted us with that we cannot take for granted," she said.

"These are Territory tales that our future generations need to know about and need to be able to see.

"If it comes to it, in 100 years people will look back and think it was a crazy decision to let the museum slide.

"We need to do everything in out power to keep the museum open for another 100 years."

Sign the petition here.

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