British Museum receives record number of visitors

2013 is the British Museum’s most successful year after it received a record of 6.7million visitors.

11:11 15 January 2014

Based on the number of visitors, 2013 is the most successful year for the British Museum. 

 

According to official figures, the museum received a record of 6.7million visitors last year. 

 

This represents 20per cent increase over 2012 and beats 2008’s previous record of 6 million. 

 

The museum website also received 47per cent more traffic with 19.5million visits. 

 

Popular exhibitions included Pompeii, which ran from March to September 2013. Meanwhile, August 16 was the busiest day with 33,848 visitors while the busiest month was July with 747,936 visits. 

 

Life and Death in Pompeii and Hernaculaneum was seen by more than 471,000 visitors and received 250,000 visits in just three months. Opening in March 2013, it sold more than 45,600 tickets booked through advanced sales. 

 

The museum's director, Neil MacGregor, said: "I am delighted that so many people have visited the world collection at the British Museum in the last year.

 

"Displays onsite, loans and touring exhibitions nationally and internationally, big screen viewings and online access mean this is truly a dynamic collection that belongs to and is used by a global citizenship".