London’s two flagship art galleries saw visitor numbers fall last year, according to figures released this week from the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (Alva).
Meanwhile, visitor numbers at two other prominent galleries in the city, Somerset House and the Royal Academy of Arts (RA), rose by almost a third thanks to the success of big-name exhibitions.
In 2015 Tate Modern received 4.7 million visitors – a fall of 19% from the previous year and its lowest level since 2005. A Tate spokeswoman said that the gallery usually attracted between approximately 4.5 and 5 million visitors a year. It received a record-breaking 5.8m visitors in 2014, due in part to the success of its Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs exhibition.
Visits to Tate Britain were also down, falling by 5% to 1.3m.
The number of people visiting the National Gallery fell by 8% to 5.9 million. A spokeswoman said that the gallery had over 100 days of strike action last year, which led to frequent room closures.
The industrial action was resolved in October 2015 and the gallery is hopeful its visitor figures will be restored to their usual levels in 2016.
The National Gallery's Goya: The Portraits exhibition, which ran from October until January, had 186,000 visitors. Its programme this year includes Delacroix and the Rise of Modern Art, which will run until 22 May.
Visitor numbers at the Southbank Centre fell by 18% to 5.1 million. Alva said that this was due to the closure of part of the building, including the Hayward Gallery, from September.
The National Gallery continued to be the second most popular attraction in the UK. The most popular was the British Museum, which held the top spot for the ninth year in a row, receiving 6.8 million visitors – an increase of 2% from last year.
The NHM became the third most popular UK attraction, despite its own visitor numbers falling by 1.9%. The Southbank Centre and Tate Modern were the fourth and fifth most popular attractions respectively.
Other major London galleries saw large rises in visitor numbers. The number of people visiting Somerset House increased by 31% to 3.2 million, while those at the RA increased by 33% to 1.1 million.
Somerset House rose one place to become the eight most visited attraction in the country, while the RA was the 29th most visited.
Both institutions credited their success to the popularity of temporary exhibitions. The first major exhibition in the UK devoted to Chinese artist Ai Weiwei ran from September to December at the RA. Popular shows at Somerset House included exhibitions on Tintin creator Hergé, the 1970s band Blondie and fashion photographer Guy Bourdin.
Visitor numbers at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) rose by 8% to 3.4 million, making it the UK’s sixth most visited attraction. The museum held its most popular exhibition ever last year. Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty ran from March until August and was seen by almost 500,000 people.
The National Maritime Museum, which opened a new children’s gallery, saw a 10.6% increase to 1.4m, and the National Portrait Gallery, which held a popular Audrey Hepburn exhibition, saw a 4% rise to 2.1 million.
The most visited museum outside London was the National Museum of Scotland, with 1.6 million visitors. But it lost its place as the most visited attraction in Scotland to Edinburgh Castle for the first time in five years.
Visitors to the Scottish Gallery of Modern One, which held ARTIST ROOMS: Roy Lichtenstein, rose by 47% to 221,361 and visitors to the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art Two, which held an exhibition on MC Escher, rose by 35% to 236,294.
Visitor figures at Tate Liverpool were up by 12% to 626,410, and rose by 30% at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery to 936,839.
There are 64 Alva members, who manage almost 2,200 venues and sites. In 2015 there was an average increase of 3.2% on 2014 visitor numbers across all Alva members.
Meanwhile, visitor numbers at two other prominent galleries in the city, Somerset House and the Royal Academy of Arts (RA), rose by almost a third thanks to the success of big-name exhibitions.
In 2015 Tate Modern received 4.7 million visitors – a fall of 19% from the previous year and its lowest level since 2005. A Tate spokeswoman said that the gallery usually attracted between approximately 4.5 and 5 million visitors a year. It received a record-breaking 5.8m visitors in 2014, due in part to the success of its Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs exhibition.
Visits to Tate Britain were also down, falling by 5% to 1.3m.
The number of people visiting the National Gallery fell by 8% to 5.9 million. A spokeswoman said that the gallery had over 100 days of strike action last year, which led to frequent room closures.
The industrial action was resolved in October 2015 and the gallery is hopeful its visitor figures will be restored to their usual levels in 2016.
The National Gallery's Goya: The Portraits exhibition, which ran from October until January, had 186,000 visitors. Its programme this year includes Delacroix and the Rise of Modern Art, which will run until 22 May.
Visitor numbers at the Southbank Centre fell by 18% to 5.1 million. Alva said that this was due to the closure of part of the building, including the Hayward Gallery, from September.
The National Gallery continued to be the second most popular attraction in the UK. The most popular was the British Museum, which held the top spot for the ninth year in a row, receiving 6.8 million visitors – an increase of 2% from last year.
The NHM became the third most popular UK attraction, despite its own visitor numbers falling by 1.9%. The Southbank Centre and Tate Modern were the fourth and fifth most popular attractions respectively.
Other major London galleries saw large rises in visitor numbers. The number of people visiting Somerset House increased by 31% to 3.2 million, while those at the RA increased by 33% to 1.1 million.
Somerset House rose one place to become the eight most visited attraction in the country, while the RA was the 29th most visited.
Both institutions credited their success to the popularity of temporary exhibitions. The first major exhibition in the UK devoted to Chinese artist Ai Weiwei ran from September to December at the RA. Popular shows at Somerset House included exhibitions on Tintin creator Hergé, the 1970s band Blondie and fashion photographer Guy Bourdin.
Visitor numbers at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) rose by 8% to 3.4 million, making it the UK’s sixth most visited attraction. The museum held its most popular exhibition ever last year. Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty ran from March until August and was seen by almost 500,000 people.
The National Maritime Museum, which opened a new children’s gallery, saw a 10.6% increase to 1.4m, and the National Portrait Gallery, which held a popular Audrey Hepburn exhibition, saw a 4% rise to 2.1 million.
The most visited museum outside London was the National Museum of Scotland, with 1.6 million visitors. But it lost its place as the most visited attraction in Scotland to Edinburgh Castle for the first time in five years.
Visitors to the Scottish Gallery of Modern One, which held ARTIST ROOMS: Roy Lichtenstein, rose by 47% to 221,361 and visitors to the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art Two, which held an exhibition on MC Escher, rose by 35% to 236,294.
Visitor figures at Tate Liverpool were up by 12% to 626,410, and rose by 30% at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery to 936,839.
There are 64 Alva members, who manage almost 2,200 venues and sites. In 2015 there was an average increase of 3.2% on 2014 visitor numbers across all Alva members.
