Number of British Museum visitors in London, England 2008-2020

The British Museum in London attracted roughly 5.9 million visitors between April 2019 and March 2020. The number of visitors slightly decreased over the previous year, when the museum welcomed about six million people.

International tourists attracted to London's free attractions

The British Museum is a public institution, exhibiting collections of art and artifacts related to culture and human history. It ranks as one of London's, as well as one of the UK's leading attractions based on number of visitors. As one of London's many free attractions the British museum is accessible to all, although it is most attended by the many international tourists that visit London each year.

How is the British museum funded?

As a government sponsored museum, the British Museum receives funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). As part of their cultural policy, it allows free general admission for all, therefore income from admissions to other additional exhibits is relatively low. The museum however receives a large proportion of income through fundraising or charitable giving, such as donations from individuals, charities or private companies and through membership schemes.