Museums see drop in visitors

BAD weather, the Olympics and the Queen's Jubilee all contributed to a bad year for Guernsey museums and galleries, the States 2012 accounts have shown.

Footfall at Culture and Leisure's attractions reduced from 82,439 in 2011 to 76,060 last year. It meant the department's net expenditure on museums and galleries rose by 3.9% to £905,000. The most notable drop in admissions income was seen at Castle Cornet with a 5.8% drop of £11,000.

'The department is optimistic that 2012 was just a blip exaggerated by poor seasonal weather which meant the cancellation of 28 cruise liner visits, a large number of free public events taking place as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Celebrations and the Olympics,' a spokesman said.

'To date, 2013 is showing signs of recovery in museums admissions due in part to the introduction of the new Discovery Pass.'