HC Deb 15 March 1972 vol 833 cc124-6W
Mr. John Smith

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will state the number of visitors to each of the under noted institutions for 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1971, respectively, namely, the British Museum, the Science Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Imperial War Museum, the

(Thousands)
1968 1969 1970 1971
British Museum:
Bloomsbury … … 1,833 2,051 2,261 2,579
Burlington Gardens … … — — — 101
Science Museum … … 2,170 2,126 2,121 1,942
Victoria and Albert Museim … … 1,294 1,263 1,473 1,786
Bethnal Green Museum … … 136 151 202 132
Imperial War Museum … … 650 622 597 557
London Museum:
Museum … … 225 284 289 309
State Apartments … … 141 149 162 204
National Gallery … … 1,497 1,553 1,750 1,859
National Maritime Museum:
Museum … … 699 719 797 1,076
Old Royal Observatory … … 361 402 509 515
National Portrait Gallery … … 335 323 714 513
Tate Gallery … … 999 933 935 936
Wallace Collection … … 144 150 156 153
British Museum (Natural History) … … 1,331 1,368 1,489 1,510
Geological Museum … … 434 502 407 345
Royal Scottish Museum … … 538 589 575 534
National Museum of Wales … … 285 436 455 383
Totals … … 13,102 13,621 14,892 15,434

Mr. John Smith

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if she will now revise the figures as to the estimated annual gross receipts from admission charges in view of the recorded number of visitors to the National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh, and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in 1971;

(2) if the estimated gross annual receipts from admission charges to each of the national museums and galleries have been calculated on the recorded number of visitors for any particular year or years, and for which year or years;

(3) what is her estimate of the gross annual receipts from admission charges to each of the national museums and galleries on the basis of the recorded number of visitors to each museum and gallery in 1971.

Mr. van Straubenzee

The figures of attendance at the museums and galleries have in the past been maintained on a

London Museum, the National Gallery, the National Maritime Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the Tate Gallery, the Wallace Collection, the British Museum (Natural History), the Geological Museum, the Royal Scottish Museum, and the National Museum of Wales.

Mr. van Straubenzee

The attendances recorded are shown in the following table:

voluntary basis and there has been no accounting requirement for accurate records. The estimate of income from charges has been calculated on a broader basis than the figures reported for any particular year, and there is therefore no occasion to recalculate them as a result of the latest returns from individual institutions.