§ 42. Mr. MaplesTo ask the Minister for the Arts how many museums are currently established in Great Britain; and how many there were in (i) 1984, (ii) 1979, (iii) 1974 and (iv) 1969.
§ Mr. LuceThe number of museums and galleries in the United Kingdom is estimated to have risen from approximately 900 in 1963 to just under 2,200 in 1984 and over 2,400 in 1988.
The fastest area of growth has been in the independent museum sector where the Association of Independent Museums has indicated that its current membership of 750 represents a doubling of the membership in 1980.