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Museums and Galleries

Volume 468: debated on Monday 26 November 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) UK residents and (b) tourists from overseas visited (i) museums and (ii) art galleries in the UK in each of the last 10 years. (167264)

The information is as follows:

(a) The number of visits by UK residents to (i) museums and (ii) art galleries sponsored by DCMS are set out in the following table.

Million

(i) Museums

(ii) Art galleries

1998-99

7.70

5.32

1999-2000

8.49

4.99

2000-01

11.56

7.99

2001-02

13.45

7.66

2002-03

16.56

7.47

2003-04

15.56

7.68

2004-05

16.60

8.61

2005-06

15.52

7.55

2006-07

16.04

8.76

(b) The number of visits by overseas tourists to (i) museums and (ii) art galleries sponsored by DCMS are set out in the following table.

Million

(i) Museums

(ii) Art galleries

1998-99

2.54

3.51

1999-2000

2.56

3.49

2000-01

4.61

4.74

2001-02

4.93

4.21

2002-03

5.31

4.28

2003-04

7.19

4.61

2004-05

6.82

4.06

2005-06

6.57

4.35

2006-07

8.91

5.34

A breakdown of visits by UK and overseas residents to DCMS sponsored museums and art galleries is not available for 1997-98, as those data were not collected prior to 1998-99.

Figures on the number of UK residents and overseas tourists that visit all museums and art galleries in the UK each year is not available.