§ Mr. BaldryTo ask the Minister for the Arts how many museums are participating in Museum Year; and if he will make a statement as to the current level of public interest in museums in Britain.
§ Mr. LuceThe information provided by the Museums Association, which is organising Museums Year, is that well over 1,000 museums are expected to participate in the Museums Year celebrations.
The level of public interest in museums is very encouraging. The number of visitors to museums and galleries rose from 68 million in 1985 to 73 million in 1986. The Museums Association estimates that visitor numbers could top 100 million during Museums Year 1989.