Alistair Hardaker | Image:
Preston museum average 14,500 visitors weekly in opening month, more than double pre-closure attendance following 2021 closure.
The Harris museum in Preston has drawn record visitor numbers following its reopening last September.
The museum opened with the exhibition, ‘Wallace & Gromit in A Case at the Museum’, which has now counted 105,177 visitors in its first eight weeks.
The exhibition, which opened with attendance from Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park, averaged 14,500 visitors a week in its opening month, the museum reports. The figure is more than double its pre-closure attendance.
The museum completed its multi-million pound restoration project last year, having been closed since 2021.
Harris museum to reopen in September after multi-million restoration
The museum said the Wallace & Gromit exhibition, which is now closed, had “played a central role in reintroducing The Harris to the public following its long-term refurbishment”.
Councillor Hindle Cabinet Member for Culture and Arts at Preston City Council said: “We have been surprised and genuinely delighted by the reaction to The Harris’ opening exhibition. The level of engagement, especially in the first month and during the final week, has been incredibly encouraging and we hope this continues into the New Year.
“We would like to thank everyone for their patience, enthusiasm, and continued support as we welcomed visitors back to The Harris.”
