24.10.19
Museums and galleries in England reach record-breaking visits
Museums and galleries sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) have reported a record-breaking 50 million visits last year.
England saw almost 50 million visits to their DCMS-sponsored museums and galleries last year, including a swell of 8.5 million children, thanks to new initiatives and exhibitions.
This is the highest number since records began over 15 years ago according to the DCMS records.
DCMS museums contribute seven of the top 10 most popular free visitor attractions in the UK, with the British Museum, Tate Modern and Natural History Museum among the top 10 most popular art museums in the world in 2018.
Arts Minister, Helen Whately, said:
“It’s been a blockbuster year for our museums and galleries. I’m delighted that they’re going from strength to strength and attracting audiences from all over the world.”
“It’s fantastic to see the huge rise in the number of visits by children and young people - showing that our museums and galleries are doing a great job attracting new audiences and reaching a new generation.”
At the 15 DCMS-sponsored museums and galleries there has been a 5.5% increase in 2018/19 compared to the year before.
Figures show that around half (48%) of the visitors were from overseas, highlighting the importance of museums and galleries for bringing international tourists to England.
The number of visitors to museums and galleries outside of London has also seen an 11% leap compared to last year.
Successful exhibitions include China’s first Emperor and The Terracotta Warriors and Double Fantasy: John and Yoko exhibitions, gaining National Museum’s Liverpool (NML) more than 4 million visitors last year, a 20% increase on the previous year.
Sir Ian Blatchford, chairman of the National Museum Directors’ Council and director of the Science Museum Group, said:
“The strong and consistent growth in visits to museums, and the increase in self-generated income, reflects the creativity and ingenuity of those who work in our sector. Today’s announcement shows not only the important part museums play in encouraging tourism, but also their vibrant, vital role at the heart of our communities.”