The number of visitors to museums sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in England fell dramatically in 2020/2021 over the previous fiscal year due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. From March 2020 onwards, museums and similar cultural institutions in the country had to close for long periods, as the government imposed emergency restrictions to limit the spread of the virus. As a result of the closures, visitor figures dropped sharply. For instance, attendance at the Tate Gallery Group, which reported the highest figure in 2019/2020 and 2020/2021, declined from nearly 8.3 million to around 591 thousand over the period considered.
Number of visitors to DCMS sponsored museums in England from 2019 to 2021, by museum
(in 1,000s)
*The source specifies that: "Museum of the Home closed on 7 January 2018 to commence its two year capital refurbishment project but continued to host ticketed events which the museum recorded as visitor numbers.
**The source adds the following information: "The National Portrait Gallery closed initially in March 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown restrictions. The museum began its refurbishment project in June 2020 which will be completed in 2023. No visitor data has been collected for 2020/2021".
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Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (UK). (December 16, 2021). Number of visitors to DCMS sponsored museums in England from 2019 to 2021, by museum (in 1,000s) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 18, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/298318/museum-visitor-numbers-england-uk-by-museum/
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (UK). "Number of visitors to DCMS sponsored museums in England from 2019 to 2021, by museum (in 1,000s)." Chart. December 16, 2021. Statista. Accessed May 18, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/298318/museum-visitor-numbers-england-uk-by-museum/
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (UK). (2021). Number of visitors to DCMS sponsored museums in England from 2019 to 2021, by museum (in 1,000s). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 18, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/298318/museum-visitor-numbers-england-uk-by-museum/
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (UK). "Number of Visitors to Dcms Sponsored Museums in England from 2019 to 2021, by Museum (in 1,000s)." Statista, Statista Inc., 16 Dec 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/298318/museum-visitor-numbers-england-uk-by-museum/
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (UK), Number of visitors to DCMS sponsored museums in England from 2019 to 2021, by museum (in 1,000s) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/298318/museum-visitor-numbers-england-uk-by-museum/ (last visited May 18, 2022)
