London has more museums than a host of other major cities, according to a report published last week.
The World Culture Cities Culture Report 2012 is the biggest international survey of its kind, according to BOP Consulting, which carried it out. The report was commissioned by Mayor of London Boris Johnson in association with nine of the 12 cities featured in it.
The report found that London has 173 museums, including 11 national museums. This compares with 158 in Berlin, 137 in Paris and 131 in New York.
London and Paris both have four World Heritage Sites, more than any of cities surveyed. Istanbul has the most heritage/historical sites at more than 30,000. This compares with nearly 19,000 in London, which was second in this category, and more than 8,600 in Berlin, the third largest.
London also fares well in terms of art galleries. Paris has the most, at 1,046, and London is next at 857. New York is third at 721.
The report looks at 60 cultural indicators, covering areas such theatre, music, comedy, dance and libraries as well as museums and galleries.
London also has the highest attendance figures to museums and galleries as a percentage of population.
The cities featured in the report are Berlin, Istanbul, Johannesburg, London, Mumbai, New York, Paris, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo.
Despite London’s strong cultural infrastructure, the report says that “the city’s cultural institutions will face a tough time after the [Olympic] Games. Economic problems may affect the demand for cultural products and services.”
Among the speakers at the launch of the report was Munira Mirza, the deputy mayor for education and culture.
She acknowledged that museums and galleries had been hit by budget cuts, but pointed to the increase in lottery funding for culture and heritage as a positive development. She said that local authority funding for culture was a big concern.
Mirza also pointed to plans for the Olympic Park after the games end. “We are very keen to see the park grow into a cultural quarter for London in the way that the South Bank did after 1951 [following the Festival of Britain].”
The report was launched to coincide with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and was accompanied by the first World Cities Culture Summit, which brought together cultural leaders and policymakers from around the world. British Museum director Neil MacGregor was a keynote speaker.
The World Culture Cities Culture Report 2012 is the biggest international survey of its kind, according to BOP Consulting, which carried it out. The report was commissioned by Mayor of London Boris Johnson in association with nine of the 12 cities featured in it.
The report found that London has 173 museums, including 11 national museums. This compares with 158 in Berlin, 137 in Paris and 131 in New York.
London and Paris both have four World Heritage Sites, more than any of cities surveyed. Istanbul has the most heritage/historical sites at more than 30,000. This compares with nearly 19,000 in London, which was second in this category, and more than 8,600 in Berlin, the third largest.
London also fares well in terms of art galleries. Paris has the most, at 1,046, and London is next at 857. New York is third at 721.
The report looks at 60 cultural indicators, covering areas such theatre, music, comedy, dance and libraries as well as museums and galleries.
London also has the highest attendance figures to museums and galleries as a percentage of population.
The cities featured in the report are Berlin, Istanbul, Johannesburg, London, Mumbai, New York, Paris, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo.
Despite London’s strong cultural infrastructure, the report says that “the city’s cultural institutions will face a tough time after the [Olympic] Games. Economic problems may affect the demand for cultural products and services.”
Among the speakers at the launch of the report was Munira Mirza, the deputy mayor for education and culture.
She acknowledged that museums and galleries had been hit by budget cuts, but pointed to the increase in lottery funding for culture and heritage as a positive development. She said that local authority funding for culture was a big concern.
Mirza also pointed to plans for the Olympic Park after the games end. “We are very keen to see the park grow into a cultural quarter for London in the way that the South Bank did after 1951 [following the Festival of Britain].”
The report was launched to coincide with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and was accompanied by the first World Cities Culture Summit, which brought together cultural leaders and policymakers from around the world. British Museum director Neil MacGregor was a keynote speaker.
