Liverpool’s World Museum - most visited museum outside of London in 2018

Canning Graving Dock (Credit:National Museum Liverpool)

New figures confirm that Liverpool’s World Museum was the most visited outside of London in 2018 and Getintothis’ Simon Kirk has all the details and more.

Per figures released last week, it has been confirmed that in 2018 Liverpool’s World Museum was the most visited museum outside of London.

Five National Museums Liverpool venues were in the UK’s top 100 visitor attractions in 2018 – those being the World Museum, Museum of Liverpool, Merseyside Maritime Museum, International Slavery Museum and Walker Art Gallery.

The overwhelming triumph of China’s First Emperor and the Terracotta Warriors attracted more than 610,000 visitors, making it one of the best attended exhibitions in the country. It is estimated the China’s First Emperor and the Terracotta Warriors boosted the local economy by more than £83,000,000.

The figures, compiled by Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), also revealed further success for other National Museums Liverpool venues, confirming that last year, collectively, they had welcomed 4,114,135 visitors across all eight of its venues.

Museum of Liverpool jumped up nine places in the National rankings, making it England’s third most visited museum outside of London with, experiencing its busiest year with 1,416,632 visitors – a 111% increase on 2017.

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The Merseyside Maritime Museum was the fourth most visited museum in England outside of London, attracting 897,415 visitors.

The Walker Art Gallery had its most successful year since 2008 – the year Liverpool was Capital of Culture, climbing up 15 places, thanks to the popularity of Slaves of Fashion: New Works by The Singh Twins and the biannual celebration of contemporary painting, the John Moores Painting Prize, alongside the continuation of a diverse programme of exhibitions and events, made in partnership with the Arts Council Collection.

2019 is shaping up to be another big year for the Museum of Liverpool, following on from the overwhelming response to its powerful exhibition, Double Fantasy: John & Yoko – a world-first that tells the couple’s story in their own words. The exhibition has proven so popular that it has been extended until November 3.

‘The museums and galleries of National Museums Liverpool are bursting with brilliant objects, incredible stories and memorable moments, and in 2018 we were able to take it to another level with a really vibrant program, including some exceptional exhibitions,’ said Laura Pye, Director of National Museums Liverpool.

‘We hope to build on this success for 2019 and in the years to come. We have just opened Charles Rennie Mackintosh: Making the Glasgow Style at the Walker Art Gallery, which has already welcomed more than 5,000 people, and proving to be another ‘must-see’ exhibition.’