Mixed picture for spring visitors
Numbers up for Science Museum Group and in Wales but Scotland and Liverpool suffer drops
Unpredictable weather, cuts and strikes have created a mixed picture for visitor figures during the first few months of 2013.
Many museums are continuing to increase their popularity, recording significant rises in visitor over spring and the most recent school holiday.
The Science Museum Group (SMG), which warned last month that one of its three northern sites would close if further cuts went ahead, saw visitors at the National Media Museum (NMM) in Bradford rise 8% on last year during half-term week at the end of May.
York’s National Railway Museum, also part of the SMG, said there had been an uplift of 19% on the previous year in the first five months of 2013 – adding that the unseasonably cold spring had drawn more visitors indoors.
Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum Wales saw rises at most of its seven sites, with overall half-term figures up 13% on last year. The organisation hit a record high of 1.75m visitors in 2012-13.
Independent museums also fared well; the National Maritime Museum Cornwall said its numbers from January to May were up a massive 57% on last year following tie-ins with local business, while the Museum of East Anglian Life said footfall was “higher than ever”.
But industrial action, snow and cuts to public programming had a significant impact on numbers at National Museums Liverpool. Overall visitors fell 24% on the previous year over April and May, with a drop of 57% at the Walker Art Gallery and 14% at the Museum of Liverpool during the May half-term.
A spokeswoman said the fluctuation appeared more pronounced because of the large crowds drawn to two major exhibitions and a number of special events that took place over the same period last year.
Museums Sheffield, which was also forced to shrink public programming last year, saw visitors rise 24% at the Millennium Gallery over the half-term after the launch of a new exhibition. But it was a different case at Weston Park, where the numbers dropped by 21%.
Many people chose to stay outdoors during the finer-than-expected May break.
Manchester’s Museum of Science and Industry (Mosi) and Brighton’s Royal Pavilion and Museums both saw half-term numbers drop by 8% compared to 2012.
In Scotland, the completion of several major capital projects brought a record-breaking year in 2012 and this year’s figures appear to have plateaued after that initial bounce.
Numbers fell by 8% at Kelvingrove and 19% at the new Riverside Museum over the Easter break (Scotland’s most recent school holiday at the time of writing).
In Edinburgh, National Museums Scotland (NMS) saw overall visitor numbers fall by 14% in the same period.
Many museums are continuing to increase their popularity, recording significant rises in visitor over spring and the most recent school holiday.
The Science Museum Group (SMG), which warned last month that one of its three northern sites would close if further cuts went ahead, saw visitors at the National Media Museum (NMM) in Bradford rise 8% on last year during half-term week at the end of May.
York’s National Railway Museum, also part of the SMG, said there had been an uplift of 19% on the previous year in the first five months of 2013 – adding that the unseasonably cold spring had drawn more visitors indoors.
Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum Wales saw rises at most of its seven sites, with overall half-term figures up 13% on last year. The organisation hit a record high of 1.75m visitors in 2012-13.
Independent museums also fared well; the National Maritime Museum Cornwall said its numbers from January to May were up a massive 57% on last year following tie-ins with local business, while the Museum of East Anglian Life said footfall was “higher than ever”.
But industrial action, snow and cuts to public programming had a significant impact on numbers at National Museums Liverpool. Overall visitors fell 24% on the previous year over April and May, with a drop of 57% at the Walker Art Gallery and 14% at the Museum of Liverpool during the May half-term.
A spokeswoman said the fluctuation appeared more pronounced because of the large crowds drawn to two major exhibitions and a number of special events that took place over the same period last year.
Museums Sheffield, which was also forced to shrink public programming last year, saw visitors rise 24% at the Millennium Gallery over the half-term after the launch of a new exhibition. But it was a different case at Weston Park, where the numbers dropped by 21%.
Many people chose to stay outdoors during the finer-than-expected May break.
Manchester’s Museum of Science and Industry (Mosi) and Brighton’s Royal Pavilion and Museums both saw half-term numbers drop by 8% compared to 2012.
In Scotland, the completion of several major capital projects brought a record-breaking year in 2012 and this year’s figures appear to have plateaued after that initial bounce.
Numbers fell by 8% at Kelvingrove and 19% at the new Riverside Museum over the Easter break (Scotland’s most recent school holiday at the time of writing).
In Edinburgh, National Museums Scotland (NMS) saw overall visitor numbers fall by 14% in the same period.