Tate Modern attracted 5.3 million visitors in 2012, the highest ever figure for a calendar year in its history. The figure was up 9.5% on the previous year. Tate Britain has also had a good year with 1.53 million visitors coming through its doors in 2012, a 4.3% increase on the figure for the same period in 2011.
At Tate Modern, the opening of the Tanks in the summer, the Damien Hirst exhibition which attracted 463,000 visitors, and Tino Sehgal 2012 in the Turbine Hall, all part of the London Festival 2012, the culmination of the Cultural Olympiad, contributed to this success along with other exhibitions such as Edvard Munch.
Alex Beard, Deputy Director at Tate said ‘It has been an extraordinary year at Tate Modern, opening the world’s first museum galleries permanently dedicated to exhibiting live art, performance, installation and film works alongside an outstanding exhibition programme which has undoubtedly fuelled the increase in visitors.’
At Tate Britain visitor figures have also remained high with the current Pre-Raphaelites: Victorian Avant-Garde exhibition proving particularly popular. Tate Britain is currently transforming its galleries as part of a major refurbishment which will be completed this year.
