The government has confirmed that England’s national museums will continue to offer free entry to overseas visitors.
Free admission to national museums was introduced in 2001, but the government said in March that it would explore charging international visitors as a way to support museum finances.
This followed a review published last year by former Labour minister Baroness Margaret Hodge that proposed a charging model for international tourists.
National museums contribute more than £1 billion a year to the economy and bring in visitors from across the world British Museum
In a statement dated 29 September, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said the government "believes that charging overseas visitors could deter domestic visitors and that the impacts and benefits of charging would not be felt equally across the sector".
National museums, it added, contribute more than £1 billion a year to the economy and bring in visitors from across the world
In 2025, for example, 7.1 million people visited the Natural History Museum and 6.4 million visited the British Museum.
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy said: “Our museums are the places that light up the world. They remind of us of our shared history, and enable us to step outside the confines of our lives. There is something incredibly special about that.
“That’s why they must be free, forever, for everyone to access."
Government funding for museums
In the statement, the government highlighted £760 million in funding for museums through its £1.5 billion Arts Everywhere Fund, as well as £600m in infrastructure funding for national museums.
It said a further £160m would be invested in local and regional museums, and that it plans to work with Arts Council and the wider sector to develop a long-term strategic plan for the future of museums.
