Improved museum welcomes record number of visitors

The York Museums Trust yesterday unveiled its visitor figures for the last 12 months.

These revealed that 100,000 more people had gone through the doors of its attractions compared to the previous year.

York Castle Museum, York Art Gallery, York St Mary’s and the Yorkshire Museum attracted a total of 641,160 visitors between April 1 last year and March 31, 2011 – an overall increase of 21 per cent.

The overhaul of the Yorkshire Museum, which was closed between November 2009 and August 2010 for a £2m refurbishment, is seen as the main reason for the surge in visitor numbers.

The museum closed its doors to the public for the first time since it opened in 1830 while the major programme of work was carried out.

It attracted 80,000 visitors from August 1 last year to April 2011 – up 130 per cent when compared to the same period in 2008/2009.

Other successes include an exhibition which featured David Hockney’s Bigger Trees Near Warter at York Art Gallery. A total of 77,936 people saw the work between February 10 and March 31.

The York Museums Trust’s chief executive, Janet Barnes, said: “We are very pleased to see visitor numbers increase by such a large margin over the last 12 months.

“The transformation of the Yorkshire Museum has been key to this and we are delighted that the refurbishment has proved to be so popular with the public.

“We believe numbers have increased this significantly because the trust has continued to invest in the attractions, exhibitions and events as well as offering real value for money in this tough economic climate.”

Other projects undertaken by the trust include a £200,000 scheme that has re-developed the Castle Museum’s entrance area to promote it as a cafe and team room by capitalising on the stunning views across the Eye of York and Clifford’s Tower opposite.

More than £1m has been invested in the Castle Museum since the trust was formed in 2002 – and a similar amount has funded improvements at the city’s art gallery.