England’s museums positive about the year ahead despite rising costs, survey finds

Two-thirds of England’s non-national museums feel positive about the year ahead, according to the latest Annual Museum Survey.

Published by Museum Development England earlier this month, the survey showed a growth in income and an increase in the proportion of museums receiving local authority support.

The survey received 830 responses from museums across England, up 12% from 692 in 2025. It aims to provide a broad evidence base on the sector’s finances, audiences and workforce.

The research found that 67% of museums had a positive outlook for the coming year, while one in 10 reported a negative outlook. Visitor numbers also remain above 2023/24 levels nationally, although the picture varies considerably between individual museums and regions.

The findings suggest that the sector is remaining resilient in the face of financial and operational pressures. Median annual income rose by 25%, from £99,431 in 2024/25 to £124,170 in 2025/26.

However, rising costs remain a challenge, according to the survey: 58% of museums reported higher expenditure in 2025/26, compared with 45% reporting increased income. Spending continued to outstrip income, with median expenditure rising from £125,254 to £154,656.

Visitor numbers

The survey showed a mixed picture for visitor numbers after some positive growth last year. The median number of on-site visits fell slightly in 2025/26, suggesting that footfall may be levelling out.

The median number of annual visits stood at 14,717, down from 15,409 in 2024/25 but still above levels recorded in the preceding years.

The picture varied considerably between individual institutions, with more than a quarter (27%) reporting a significant increase in visitors over the past year, but 24% experiencing a significant decrease.

Museums attributed increases in visitor numbers to exhibitions, events, refreshed displays and family activities. Improved marketing and social media activity also helped some organisations attract audiences.

Closures, the cost-of-living crisis and the wider economic climate were among the factors cited for falling visitor numbers. Some museums also reported that the cost of coach travel was hampering school visits.

Museums were open for a median of 27 hours a week, broadly unchanged from the previous year.

More than half (56%) of museums opened throughout the year, although smaller museums were more likely to operate seasonally. Just 3% of respondents did not open during 2025/26.

Educational provision remained widespread, with 81% of museums saying they had delivered educational sessions during the year.

Public subsidy

The survey found that two in five (38%) respondents receive a regular public subsidy. Of those, 77% identified a local authority as a source.

The survey found that 69% of all respondents receive some form of investment or support from local authorities.

Different forms of local authority support included the provision of buildings, facilities and funding. Among museums receiving project grant funding during the year, 29% received grants from a local authority.

Meanwhile the proportion of respondents describing themselves as “local authority reliant” rose from 12% in 2024/25 to 17% in 2025/26.

Town and parish councils were an important source of income, providing support to 40% of the museums that said they receive local authority assistance. This rose to 53% among museums attracting fewer than 10,000 visitors a year.

Project funding remained vital, with 63% of museums receiving revenue project grants during the year. The median income from project grants was £19,850.

Volunteer numbers

The survey found a decline in volunteer numbers after several years of gradual post-Covid recovery.

The median number of volunteers per museum fell from 39 in 2024/25 to 35 in 2025/26. Median volunteer hours also decreased, from 2,783 to 2,645.

However, volunteers continue to make a substantial contribution to museum operations. The survey estimated that there are more than five volunteers for every paid employee, with volunteer contributions representing a median annual value of £47,292 per museum.

The findings also highlighted continuing pressures on paid staff. While median staff numbers remained stable at seven per museum, 9% of museums with employees reported making redundancies during the year.

Some museums described reduced staff capacity as a consequence of financial pressures, with restructuring, recruitment freezes and vacant posts left unfilled affecting their ability to deliver programmes and generate income.

Funded projects continued to provide opportunities for recruitment, although some of the resulting posts were temporary or fixed-term.

The survey also identified an increase in unpaid internships and work placements. The proportion of museums offering these rose from 33% in 2024/25 to 41% in 2025/26.

Digital practice

The survey showed that use of artificial intelligence has grown significantly across the sector. Three in 10 museums reported using AI tools in 2025/26, compared with 17% the previous year.

Meanwhile, use of X (formerly Twitter) continued to decline. The proportion of museums using the platform fell from 60% in 2023/24 to 40% in 2024/25 and 27% in 2025/26.

Economic impact

The report estimated that independent, local authority and university museums in England generate at least £1.17bn in annual economic impact.

This comprises around £937m associated with spending by local and day visitors, £160m from the local economic impact of museum employment and £73m from museums’ spending on goods and services.

The figures were calculated using the Association of Independent Museums' Economic Impact Toolkit 2024, applying median values from the survey to the population of 1,220 Accredited independent, local authority and university museums.

The survey forms part of an annual dataset used by museums to benchmark their activities and by Museum Development and Arts Council England to inform sector support and advocacy.

This year’s Annual Museum Survey will be incorporated into Arts Council England’s evidence base for selecting its next National Portfolio of funded organisations for 2028–33, which opens to applications on 20 October.

“My thanks go to every museum that took part in this year’s Annual Museum Survey,” said Emmie Kell, director of museums and cultural property at the arts council.

“A 12% increase in participation gives us the strongest evidence base yet and a richer understanding of the sector. The findings show both resilience and real pressure: visitor numbers remain above pre-pandemic levels and more museums are receiving local authority support, while rising costs and challenges around staffing and volunteering continue to be felt.

“This data is becoming an increasingly important input into policymaking. It helps us see how experiences vary by geography, scale and operating model, anticipate the effects of changes in local governance and the wider political landscape, and shape support around what museums and the communities they serve need most.” 

Victoria Harding, Museum Development South West’s programme manager, said: “This year’s findings tell a story of a sector that continues to work incredibly hard for its communities.

“Visitor numbers are beginning to settle after several years of recovery following closures during to the pandemic, but the picture varies considerably between museums. While some larger museums are feeling pressures around staffing and volunteering, there are also positive signs of resilience.

“Understanding the relationship between museums and local authorities is especially important to the resilience of the sector and the communities they serve.” 

England’s museums: a regional picture

London: Non-national museums reported a median of 24,273 visits in 2025/26, well above the national median of 14,717. Digital engagement was also higher: 48% of London museums used AI tools, compared with 30% nationally. However, just 57% reported a positive outlook for the coming year, against 67% nationally.

Midlands: The region recorded a median of 15,361 visits per museum, slightly above the national figure. Over half (53%) of museums were wholly owned, governed or operated by, or reliant on, local authorities, compared with 47% nationally. 62% reported a positive outlook for the year ahead.

North: Museums in the north recorded a median of 24,177 visits, 64% above the national median. More than half (54%) were wholly owned, governed or operated by, or reliant on, local authorities. Despite structural pressures, 67% reported a positive outlook.

South-east: The median number of visits was 8,948, below the national figure, although 29% of museums reported an increase in visitor numbers during the year, compared with 27% nationally. Overall, 65% reported a positive outlook.

South-west: Museums recorded a median of 9,002 visits; 40% were wholly volunteer-run, compared with 30% nationally. The median number of volunteer hours contributed per museum was 3,601, compared with 2,645 nationally. Two-thirds (67%) reported a positive outlook for the coming year.