The graph shows visitor numbers for some of London’s major museums and galleries, as well as the proportion under 16 and from overseas for 2015/16.

London has some of the best galleries and museums in the world. The city’s cultural offering is an important element of its global city status. Visitor numbers are rising for many of the capital’s major museums, often driven by extensions and exhibitions. Concerns about terrorism dampened visitor growth in late 2015, but more recent data indicates many of London’s main attractions have seen a rise in visitors after the Brexit vote, largely stimulated by the pound’s falling value. The data highlights the popularity of certain museums with schoolchildren and overseas tourists; while numbers of the latter have increased, educational visits for children have fallen, partly due to many schools cutting back on extra-curricular trips.

Note: Tate Gallery Group includes Tate Modern and Tate Britain in London, as well as Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. The London museums accounted for 88 per cent of Group visits in 2015. Science Museum Group includes The Science Museum, London; National Science and Media Museum, Bradford; Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester; National Railway Museum, York; and Locomotion, Shildon. The London museum accounted for 62 per cent of Group visits in 2015. Imperial War Museums includes the Imperial War Museum, HMS Belfast and the Churchill War Rooms in London, the Imperial War Museum Duxford, and Imperial War Museum North. The London museums accounted for 77 per cent of visits in 2015.

Source: Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and Association of Leading Visitor Attractions.