The number of museum visits slightly decreased last year
According to the Statistics Estonia, people visited museums 2.2 million times in 2010, which was nearly 4% less than in the previous year.
In a longer term perspective museum attendance still shows the increasing trend. During the last decade museum attendance has increased. Compared to 2001, the attendance has increased by 600,000 visits.
The most visited museums in 2010 were Science Centres AHHAA in Tallinn and Tartu, Estonian Open Air Museum, Palmse Manor, Kumu Art Museum and Estonian Agricultural Museum in Ülenurme rural municipality in Tartu county.
The income of museums was more than 36 million euros in 2010, which is nearly as mush as two years ago. Compared to 2009 the income of the museums increased 13%. 52% of the museums’ income was covered by the state, 8% by local governments. The rest was covered by donations or own income. The expenditure of museums was nearly 33 million euros, of which 44% went to personnel costs and 2% for completing new museum pieces.
The average cost of a museum ticket was 1.4 euros, a year earlier – 1.2 euros.
In 2010, there were 245 museums in total in Estonia. The number of local lore museums, archaeology and history museums was the biggest.
Nearly 1,600 people were working in museums in 2010, compared to 2009 their number has slightly increased.
Museum attendance by counties, 2010
On Saturday, 14 May the Museum Night 2011 will take place in Estonia for the third year in succession, where there is free entrance for everyone to nearly 200 museums, memory institutions and churches all over Estonia. More information is available on Museum Night 2011 website http://www.muuseum.ee/et/kuum/muuseumioo