Record Breaking Visitor Numbers

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The Holburne Museum enjoys record breaking visitor numbers in its first month of opening

The Holburne Museum, Bath’s first art museum, has had the busiest month in its history since it reopened its doors on 14 May with over 20 thousand visitors in its first month.

Alexander Sturgis, Director of the Holburne, has been delighted that the time and money invested in the Holburne’s transformation has been so successful and so quickly recognised by the public.

He comments, “Visitor numbers have exceeded all our expectations and we have already had as many people through our doors since we re-opened as we had in the whole year before we closed. Even more importantly they seem to like what they find and the response to the new building, the new displays and our wonderful Peter Blake exhibition has been overwhelmingly positive from public and press alike.”

“Inevitably coping with so many visitors has presented challenges. Our new team of volunteers working in the shop have coped brilliantly with their new surroundings as well as the crowds, while the café is continually improving its service (and crowd control). Our cleaners have had to work extra hard to keep the dirt from thousands of feet at bay and our lawn has taken a bit of a beating, but these are all prices we are happy to pay for the Museum’s success and the happy vision of a garden full of people enjoying the sunshine with their lunch.”

During its three years of closure the Holburne was able to completely restore its existing building and construct its new extension, designed by Eric Parry. The project allowed the Museum to create new exhibition galleries, exciting new displays and show 60% more of its collection.

The Holburne’s opening exhibition Peter Blake: A Museum for Myself celebrates the art of collecting and has been enjoyed by visitors of all ages. It is the first time Blake has allowed his own work to be shown together with his collection and whether the show is an enjoyable trip down memory lane, or an inspiration to young artists, the footfall through the Museum’s doors is an indication that surprising people and making them smile is a winning combination.

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For further information please contact
Katie Jenkins, The Holburne Museum,
k.jenkins@bath.ac.uk or tel 01225 388547
www.holburne.org

Published on: 14/06/2011