Museums warn against charges for overseas tourists

Charging overseas tourists to visit London's museums could harm the capital's cultural appeal and put institutions at risk, museum bosses have warned.

Mayor of London Lord Sadiq Khan has opposed government plans to consider charging international visitors at national museums, saying that free museums and galleries were a "fundamental" part of London life.

A government spokesperson said no decisions had been made and an update was expected in the coming months.

The proposals come as rising costs and lower-than-expected visitor numbers fuel concerns about the future of museums, with sector leaders describing the current climate as "very challenging".

In March, the government said it would explore charging international visitors to enter DCMS-sponsored national museums in England as it looks for ways to tackle funding pressures.

Free admission has been in place since 2001 at the UK's 15 national museums, including 12 in London, for both domestic and foreign visitors.

Speaking to the London Assembly's Economy, Culture and Skills Committee on 9 September, Sir Tristram Hunt, director of the Victoria & Albert Museum, said he was "yet to be convinced of the benefits" of charging overseas visitors.

"It will affect our business model of not charging people at the door but in the café, gift shop, exhibitions and membership," he said.

"That would be scuppered by charging. We are at risk of falling back relative to the US and Europe."

There were also concerns around the ethics of a commercialised museum model.

Rebecca Pullen, chief of staff at Imperial War Museums, said that the institution's role "was to be there for everyone", adding: "Anything that impedes that is difficult for us to think about."

While the proposed charges would apply only to national museums, the debate came against a backdrop of wider financial pressures across the museum sector.

Pullen said the sector faced a "very challenging" financial climate, citing real-terms cuts to DCMS funding, visitor numbers that remain below pre-pandemic levels, and lower spending in museum cafes and gift shops amid the cost-of-living crisis.

Director of the Art Fund, Jenny Waldman, said "museums have very high fixed costs to care for their collections and keep their doors open".

She added: "Most of our museums have found a way of increasing their income through commercial and earned income but that has not kept pace with energy costs and National Insurance contributions."

In recent months City Hall has called on ministers to fund London's museums at levels comparable to European counterparts.

In July, deputy mayor for culture Justine Simons said the mayor had invested more than £800m in culture during his 10 years in office and that City Hall was working to support the sector.

"We cannot rest on our laurels. The UK is the lowest funder of the arts in Europe at a national level. Times are challenging. We have all got to work together to protect, grow, sustain our creative offer," she said.

A spokesperson for the government's Department for Media, Culture and Sport (DCMS) said: "We know introducing international charging would be complex and there are many practical and financial considerations.

"No decisions have been taken and we will provide an update later this year."

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