The number of museum visits was record high last year

In 2011, the museum attendance in Estonia amounted to nearly 2.7 million times, which is the highest indicator during the re-independence period. The increase of museum attendance may be caused by the fact that Tallinn was the European capital of culture in 2011. The estimated share of the foreign tourists among museum visitors accounted for nearly a third. In 2010, the museum attendance amounted to 2.2 million.

The number of employees in the museums increased by 8% and investments grew nearly five times compared to the previous year, thus there is hope that the number of museum visits will be increasing also during the following years, although not probably as fast as in 2011. Nevertheless it may happen that the number of museum visits will reach three million per year during the next years.

Estonia is also in front rows of museum attendance in Europe. According to the data of Egmus.eu, Estonia is in the third place after Norway and Sweden in museum attendance per 100,000 inhabitants, but the first with regard to museums’ ratio to population. There are 19 museums per 100,000 inhabitants in Estonia.

The attendance of museums in Estonia, 1995–2011

On Saturday, 19 May the Night of the Museum 2012 takes place once again in Estonia, which focuses on cinematography related to the film year. More information on the Night of the Museum can be found http://www.muuseum.ee/en/kuum/uudised?news_id=3419