Visitor numbers smashed previous records for eight of the 12 months (January, March, May, August, September, October, November, December)
The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) today released its members visitor figures for the year 2024, revealing that whilst the typical attraction in London saw a 3% increase in visitors, the Museum achieved an 11% increase - and for the first time in history, welcomed well over six million visitors.
Museum Director Dr Doug Gurr said: “*We had a phenomenal year, thanks to our fantastic free-to-visit offer which, from July, included our reimagined and fully accessible gardens that provide a spectacular outdoor space, bustling with urban wildlife and a chance to snap a selfie with Fern our bronze diplodocus. We are indebted to our dedicated staff who provide the warmest of welcomes and conjure up inspiring exhibitions and events to share the wonder of the natural world and help create advocates for the planet.*”
Arts Minister, Sir Chris Bryant said: "It is fantastic that the Natural History Museum welcomed a record-breaking number of visitors last year, showcasing how valued our cultural institutions are. "
"The Museum shares remarkable exhibitions and activities for individuals and families to enjoy, whilst creating an environment where people can learn. I encourage everyone to visit one of the fascinating and free-to-enter galleries or the new Urban Nature project which has transformed the area around the site into a wonderful educational garden."
"Brilliant. Hurrah. Well done to everyone at the Natural History Museum."
As well as being a world-famous visitor attraction, the Museum is a leading research centre with over 400 scientists working to solve some of the planet’s biggest challenges, from sourcing the minerals needed for the green economy to UK nature recovery and producing the largest bank of biodiversity change data which informs global assessments and decision-making. This research is at the heart of the Museum’s critically acclaimed exhibitions, events and activities.
2024 Exhibition highlights
Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre was the most successful single species exhibition in the Museum’s history with 107,191 visitors
The River, a sound installation by Jana Winderen in collaboration with Tony Myatt, was our best performing exhibition in the free-to-visit Jerwood Gallery’s contemporary art programme to date with 609,434 visitors
As well as welcoming millions of visitors through the doors, the Museum’s global touring exhibitions reached over 1.9 million visitors and it recorded over 17 million visits to its website, 10.3 million video views and engaged an audience of 4.2 million followers on social media. Whether planning a visit, browsing the online shop, taking a virtual tour, tuning into Museum podcasts or getting stuck into an interview with our scientists, digital visitors can enjoy the natural world through the Museum whenever convenient.
Visit Highlights for 2025
Exhibitions and activities
Tickets are now on sale for the Museum’s new blockbuster exhibition Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth? which opens on Friday 16 May. A once-in-a-lifetime experience; nowhere else in Europe can visitors hold the Moon, wrap their hands around Mars and touch a meteorite as old as the solar system.
The Museum’s free-to-visit brand new permanent gallery, Fixing Our Broken Planet, opens Thursday 3 April – with an associated programme of events and activities throughout 2025 aimed at creating advocates for the planet
Fixing Our Broken Planet: Generation Hope, the Museum’s free youth climate programme, returns 29 April – 3 May 2025
Tickets are available for the Museum’s mixed reality experience that imagines a possible future 100 years from now, Visions of Nature – booking recommended as busy periods sell out quickly!
Our flagship offering Wildlife Photographer of the Yearreturns for its sixty-first awards ceremony in October 2025 accompanied by the much-loved exhibition which displays the most captivating one hundred images as selected by our expert panel of judges
The Museum has ambitious plans for improving its offer for visitors in the coming years. The unveiling of Fixing Our Broken Planet – its first new permanent gallery in nine years – is the first milestone for NHM150, the Museum’s plan to transform our South Kensington building: placing its groundbreaking research at its heart, revitalising four existing galleries, opening two new magnificent galleries and delighting 1 million more visitors a year with the wonders of the natural world.
Visitor Events:
The Museum’s sell-out visitor events are running throughout the year, including the perennially popular Dino Snores for Kids, Dino Disco, Yoga at the Natural History Museum, Adventure Babies, Silent Disco and Secrets of the Natural History Museum Tour.
Dawnosaurs: Relaxed Morning Visits are in full swing offering neurodivergent children (including autism, ADHD, Tourette’s, OCD and other sensory processing difficulties) the chance to enjoy the Museum with their family, free from the hustle and bustle of the general public.
Visitors can book a free ticket to the Museum in advance, to secure fast-track entry. Tickets are currently available to book in advance for the next six months.
Ends
Press contact
Natural History Museum Press Office
Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 5654 / 07799690151
Email: press@nhm.ac.uk
The Natural History Museum isa world-leading scientific research centre and one of the world’s most visited museums. Our mission is to create advocates for the planet – people who act for nature.
Our 400 scientists are finding solutions to the planetary emergency - from reversing biodiversity loss to resourcing the green economy.
We are seeking an additional £150 million to transform our South Kensington building: placing our groundbreaking research at its heart, revitalising four existing galleries, opening two new magnificent galleries and delighting 1 million more visitors a year with the wonders of the natural world.