Stat: Visitors Up 7.11 Percent at London Attractions

According to new data from The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), visitation was up 7.11 percent at London sites and 6.5 percent across the UK.

Scottish attractions had the greatest increase of almost 10 percent. 

The British Museum remained the most popular visitor attraction overall for the 8th year running with 6,695,213 visitors and remaining in 2nd place was the National Gallery, which saw a 6.4 percent increase to 6,416,724. Included in the numbers for the first time was the Southbank Centre – who saw 6,255,799 visitors – securing them the position of third place.

Libraries attracted substantial numbers with the Library of Birmingham – which opened in 2013 – being the most visited free attraction outside London, in 10th place with 2,414,860 – proving to be an attraction in its own right - and the British Library saw visits to its public exhibitions and programme rise by 52 percent.

Museums & Galleries throughout the UK saw a 6.09 percent increase, compared to 11.75 percent in London. Blockbuster exhibitions continued to boost visitor numbers – with Tate Modern welcoming a record 5,785,427 (4th place)– which was helped by the Matisse exhibition. 

The 100th Anniversary of World War I also had an impact throughout the UK, with many country houses telling the story of their part in the Great War. The new First World War Galleries at the Imperial War Museum London saw almost 1 million visitors in just 6 months (a 153 percent increase on the same period in 2013), while the evolving installation Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red at the Tower of London attracted an estimated 5 million visitors to view the attraction from outside the Tower walls and assisted in a 6 percent increase in their annual visitor figures.

Visit www.alva.org.uk