A record year for culture in the Northern Powerhouse

Museums and galleries sponsored by the Government in the Northern Powerhouse enjoyed a record year in 2018 with visitor numbers topping five million for the first time, according to the latest figures from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Between April and October, there were 5,141,165 visitors across the nine institutions in the Northern Powerhouse region - an increase of 912,468 (21.5%) on the same period last year.

It’s also the highest number of visitors across these Northern museums and galleries in the Apr-Oct period since comparable records began in 2011/12.

Five museums saw an increase in visitor numbers compared to the same period in 2017/18.

National Museums Liverpool attracted a record-breaking 2,885,842 visitors between April and October, a 39% increase on the same period last year and their best April to October to date.

Tate Liverpool saw visitor numbers up 14.6% to 480,271 – their best April to October for a decade.

Imperial War Museum North in Salford welcomed 210,572 visitors, up 35% on April to October 2017/18 and the best for this period since 2014/15.

More than 537,000 people visited The National Railway Museum in York, an increase of 11% on same period last year.

The Science and Industry Museum in Manchester attracted 433,508 visitors, up 3.6% on the same period last year.

The Government is continuing negotiations of a proposed Tourism Sector Deal, to help attract more domestic and overseas visitors and drive major economic growth across the UK.  

And £15 million has been invested in cultural regeneration projects across the North to help showcase the region as a great place to live, work, visit and invest in - a key pillar of the Government’s Northern Powerhouse strategy.

Minister for the Northern Powerhouse, Jake Berry MP for Rossendale, said: “This is more good news for the culture of the North coming on the heels of the Rochdale bells being broadcast to the nation by the BBC on Christmas Eve.

“I congratulate the world-class museums and galleries of the Northern Powerhouse for attracting so many visitors with their outstanding exhibitions in 2018.

 “This Government continues to support culture across the North through the Coastal Revival Fund which has provided £4.7million to revive more than 100 heritage sites around the country and by investing £8 million in new venues for Blackpool and Bradford.

 “As we look forward to 2019, I’d encourage more people to join the five million who have already seen why the North’s rich art, culture and heritage is at the heart of the UK’s history and its future.”