Overall visits to the 15 national museums were lower than the previous year, ending a steady climb after a lockdown low
The latest figures from DCMS count 41.8m collective visits to the UK’s national museums and galleries between April 2024 and March 2025.
The figure represents a 1.3% decline from 2024/24’s 42.5m visits, when comparing museums open in both years. Eight of the 15 museums reported visitor figures lower than the year before.
This year’s combined visit figures are 16% lower than a pre-pandemic high of 49.8m in 2018/19.
The figure marks a pause in recovery after a 2020/21 low, caused by closures and lockdowns in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
DCMS data shows the small dip in overall visitors has been more pronounced outside of London.
Compared to visits in the 2023/24 financial year, museums and galleries in London decreased by 1% from 37m to 36.6m.
Those located outside of London decreased by 3%, from 5.4m last year to 5.2m in this year’s figures, when comparing museums open during both time periods.
The shortfall is starker when compared to visits in 2018/19. This year’s visits to museums in London are 12% lower than pre-pandemic figures, down from 41.4m to 36.6m. Visits to locations outside of London are 37% lower than before the pandemic, from 8.3m to 5.2m in 2024/25.
Visits by children have also seen a decrease of 10% in one year. In 2024/25 there were approximately 7.7m visits by children (under 16) to DCMS sponsored museums and galleries, accounting for 18% of all visits. This figure is 10% lower last year, 2023/24, and a decrease of 9% compared to the figures recorded in 2018/19, when comparing museums open in both time periods.
DCMS said that while the absolute figures for visits by under 16s has decreased, the proportion of visits by under 16s, compared to all visits, remains fairly consistent.
But increases have been recorded in other areas. 2024/25 figures note an estimated 19.4m visits by overseas visitors, an increase of 2% compared to 2023/24, but a decrease of 17% compared to the figures recorded in 2018/19 by museums open in both time periods.
In January 2026, DCMS announced a £1.5bn funding package for cultural venues. It includes museum funding of £760m, of which £600m is allocated to infrastructure for national museums and DCMS-sponsored cultural organisations.
