LONDON.- This summer saw a record number of visitors to the UK’s national museums.

Over 5.7 million people visited UK national museums in August 2010. This represents an increase of 11% from August 2009.

Highlights include:

• A total of 809,443 people visited the four branches of Tate in August, a 15% increase on last year.

• The Victoria & Albert Museum and the Wallace Collection both saw a 24% increase in visitors compared to August 2009.

• The Natural History Museum had 592,534 visitors, a 17% increase on August 2009, and the National Gallery had 568,375 visitors, an 18% increase.

In total the UK’s national museums welcomed over 42 million visitors in 2009/10.

The latest Taking Part National Survey of Participation in Culture and Sport results also show an increase in museum visits. The survey showed that in 2009-10:

• 46.7% of adults visited a museum, gallery or archive – an increase of 11% since the Taking Part survey began in 2005-06.

• 68.8% of children aged 5-15 visited a museum, gallery or archive.

DCMS-funded national museums have seen a 41% rise in visitor numbers since the introduction of free admission in 2001, from 28.5 million visitors in 2000-01 to over 41 million in 2009-10.

Highlights include:

• National Maritime Museum – 197% increase in visitors since 2001.
• National Museums Liverpool – 178% increase.
• Natural History Museum – 159% increase.
• Victoria & Albert Museum – 105% increase.