Museum Development England has released the reports for the Annual Museum Survey for 2024. The report findings highlight the continuing impact of the cost-of-living crisis, and the resulting pressures placed on museums.

Museums deserve recognition for the remarkable work of their volunteers and their creative approaches to diversifying income streams. In less exceptional times, museums might have been able to fully recover from the pandemic, but the 2024 report shows increased costs associated with high inflation whilkst contracting funding opportunities have made this more difficult.

Visitor numbers have recovered 80% in the past four years (20/21 – 23/24), but museums still have not bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, and are currently lagging behind pre-pandemic levels by 8%. However, the report reaffirms the indispensable asset of volunteering to the museum sector, with more than a third of museums operating entirely on volunteer power.  The number of volunteer hours contributed by volunteers is now only 5% short of pre-pandemic level. Rising costs mean that the overall increase in income (15%) since 2019/20 is offset by a 20% increase in expenditure, highlighting the continuing financial challenges faced by museums.

For more details pf the surbey follow this link: https://www.museumdevelopmentnorth.org.uk/get-support/programme/annual-museums-survey/

This is the first year that the Annual Museum Survey will reflect the five new Museum Development England areas: London, South East, South West, Midlands and North in the reporting. If your museum took part in this year’s Annual Museum Survey, why not get in touch with your regional MD Adviser to discuss your data and your museum’s place in the wider context of the north of England?