REPORT SHOWS VISITOR NUMBERS AT UK MUSEUMS FELL LAST YEAR

According to a report published by the UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), attendance at national museums has fallen, writes Gareth Harris of the Art Newspaper. The DCMS financially supports thirteen national and two non-national museums—none of which charges admission fees. The report was pulled together with data collected from April 2016 to March 2016 from London’s National Gallery, the Royal Armories in Leeds, Tate, the Wallace Collection in London, and five venues under the auspices of the Imperial War Museums.

The number of visitors recorded last year was 47.6 million, 3.1 million visitors less than the years between 2014 and 2015 (the 2015–16 total, however, did not include the Tyne and Wear Museums, which were included in the 2014–15 tally). The report also showed that educational visits and off-site activities by young people have dropped off considerably (the National Gallery experienced a decrease by 37,490 visitors aged eighteen and younger). Figures regarding self-generated income from the DCMS museums, however, are not included in the report due to data issues.

In a statement, the National Gallery said a 2015 strike, connected to the privatization of museum services, affected more than one hundred days of operation, which caused the cancelation of education programs and school visits.