Museums and Galleries

HC Deb 07 November 1988 vol 140 cc15-6

53. Mr. Harry Greenway

To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has as to the current level of attendance at museums and galleries.

Mr. Luce

The number of visitors to museums and galleries has increased strongly in recent years, rising from 68 million visitors in 1985 to 73 million in 1986. The Museums Association estimates that visitor numbers could top 100 million during Museums Year 1989, when the association will celebrate its centenary.

Mr. Greenway

Will my right hon. Friend convey my congratulations and the congratulations of all hon. Members to those concerned with those figures? The much improved attendances at museums and galleries are further evidenced by the enormous growth in private, municipal and independent museums and galleries. Is that not a tribute to the improvement in and provision of education that we have had under this Government?

Mr. Luce

I entirely agree with what my hon. Friend has said—the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and the number of people attending those museums all over the country represents a remarkable expansion. We are still seeing the opening of a new museum on average once every fortnight, which is testimony to the public interest in and increasing demand for museums and galleries.

Mr. Buchan

Does not that interest make all the more serious what happens when charges are imposed in our museums? The Minister is ignoring the point that, on average, there has been a drop in attendance of around 40 per cent. in the first year, which sometimes continues, in all the institutions that he has allowed or encouraged to charge. Is that not more reactionary than the position before Victorian philanthropy?

Mr. Luce

It is entirely up to the trustees of bodies to decide whether to make charges and, if so, in what way. When they make charges, one of the most noticeable things is that they have a range of concessions for certain people, whether schools, residents and so on, to enable them to have access to the museum at concessionary prices. It is also interesting that a number of them are ensuring that their museum remains open without charge at certain hours, although there are charges for the rest of the day. That is another concession. Above all else, the biggest test is whether charging leads to improvements of the museum's services which, in turn, benefit the public, and there is plenty of evidence of that.