Increased museum funding as visitor numbers rise

The number of people visiting Northern Ireland’s museums has increased by around 50%, new figures have revealed.

Culture, Arts and Leisure Minister, Angela Smith, unveiled the figures as she announced £13.5 million in funding to help improve the infrastructure of the sites operating under the National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland.

The Minister, who was addressing museum representatives for the prestigious annual Museum of the Year Awards at Stormont, said: “In Northern Ireland, over the three year-year period up to 2003, visitor numbers rose from 801,000 to almost 1.2 million. This growth in demand has engendered confidence in the sector, at both national and district council level.

“I am confident that this additional investment will enable the museums to enhance their facilities and that visitors will continue to support them.”

The Museum of the Year Awards, which are open to all museums, galleries and institutions across the island of Ireland which house permanent collections of artefacts, highlight and celebrate the achievements of these organisations.

‘Museum of the Year’ for 2004 went to the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.

(MB)