The UK government says national museums will remain free and open to everyone, the BBC reports.
In November, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, confirmed that universal free entry would remain in place for the 15 institutions directly sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), including the Tate, the National Portrait Gallery, National Museums Liverpool, and the British Museum.
The discussion about charging international tourists to enter UK national museums began among the government, museums, the tourism sector, and local leaders to assess whether requiring tourists to pay could improve the institutions' finances. As it was discussed, the museum transformation program would help organizations move toward more sustainable business models.
According to the BBC’s article, the national museums contribute more than £1bn a year to the economy and attract visitors from around the world, with the Natural History Museum and the British Museum drawing 7.1 million and 6.4 million visitors respectively in 2025.
Since 2001, the UK's 15 national museums, including 12 in London, have been free to enter.
