The British Museum continues to be the most visited Museum in the UK

The most-visited museum in the UK for the second year in a row was the British Museum which saw 6,479,952 visitors with an 11% increase on 2023 numbers, while in second place was Natural History Museum (South Kensington) – which also experienced an 11% increase in visitors to 6,301,972.

Notable percentage increases in London included the National Portrait Gallery which reopened in summer 2023 and moved up 9 places to 18th place, following a 36% increase with 1,578,065 visitors, while Young V&A welcomed 596,100 visitors and moved 35 places to 63rd – which resulted in an increase of 47% in its second year of reopening. Buckingham Palace (limited Summer Opening) moved up 18 places to 58th with 646,832 visitors following a record-breaking year, with the Palace welcoming the most visitors in the history of the Summer Opening.

Some of the largest percentage increases in England were the Museum of Liverpool who saw a 19% increase and moved 12 places to 41st with 829, 692 visitors; Pitt Rivers in Oxford with a 27% increase to 509,703 visitors and a move of 22 places to 80th; followed closely by The Fitzwilliam Museum, which had its busiest year on record, with a 25% increase to 506,428 visitors (81st place); while the Laing Art Gallery saw a 57% increase that moved it 43 places to 192,013 visitors and Lotherton (part of the Leeds Museums & Galleries) saw a 37% increase and moved to 168th place with 228,065 visitors. From the Science Museum Group; the National Railway Museum saw a 10% increase to 690,810 visitors, rising from 57th to 52nd position.

Tate Modern, with 4,603,025 visitors (3% decline), world’s most popular museum of modern and contemporary art, will celebrate its 25th birthday in May. The gallery will host a long weekend of free live music, performances, talks, tours and activities, all inspired by its free collection displays.

Main Image: British Museum