Theme Index 2017: Asia outgrowing rest of the world as museum numbers increase
Asia’s culture sector has experienced rapid growth in recent years, something exemplified by Beijing’s National Museum of China, which in 2016 was the world’s most visited museum, according to the TEA/AECOM Museum Index.
The Museum Index, now in its fifth year, is a collaboration between the Themed Entertainment Association and the economics practice at AECOM. The Museum Index is part of the larger annual TEA/AECOM Theme Index, which tracks attractions attendance, looking at theme parks, theme park groups, waterparks and museums.
Growth among the global top 20 museums increased following a 0.7 per cent decline in last year’s Index, with a 1.2 per cent increase from 106.5 million visitors in 2016 to 107.8 million in 2016.
Since the first Museum Index in 2012, attendance globally has risen between 2 per cent and 3 per cent, with Asia accounting for most of that growth.
“The US and European markets are mature, with approximately 1 per cent growth annually,” said the report. “In Asia, we have seen growth of 9 per cent annually over the past few years, in large part due to the Chinese government’s policy directive to develop hundreds of new museums every year and its investment in the provision of free admission.”
The National Museum of China in Beijing is now the world’s most-visited museum, displacing the Louvre in Paris, which suffered a 14.9 per cent attendance drop.
An increase of 3.6 per cent year-on-year, 7.55 million people visited the National Museum of China, which narrowly edged out the 7.5 million people who visited the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC.
Tourist numbers in Paris and wider France have suffered in the wake of multiple terrorist attacks in the country, marked by the attendance decline at the Louvre, which dropped from 8.7 million in 2015 to 7.4 million in 2016, ranking the historic institution as the world’s third-most visited museum. Similarly in Paris, the Musée d’Orsay experienced a double digit drop in attendance, falling 12.8 per cent to 3 million visitors, dropping outside of the top 20 from 17th position last year.
The UK is a top contender in the museums field, with the sixth-placed British Museum welcoming 6.42 million visitors, while the National Gallery and Tate Modern in London also both made the top 10, welcoming 6.26 million visitors and 5.84 million visitors respectively. The Tate Modern was also the biggest climber on the list, with a 23.9 per cent attendance increase attributed to its recent expansion. London’s Natural History Museum also came in the top 20, ranking 13th with visitor numbers of 4.62 million – a 12.5 per cent decrease on the previous year’s figures.
For theme parks, it was a mixed year, with overall visitor numbers among the top 25 parks declining by 1.1 per cent. For more, click here.
The world’s waterparks were making real-life and metaphorical waves in 2016, with combined attendance among the top 20 increasing to nearly 30 million. For more, click here.
To read the full TEA/AECOM Theme Index click here.
Themed Index Report Museums Index TEA AECOM visitor attractions Museums Louvre National Museum of China TATE ModernTheme Index: Disney dips as theme parks experience mixed year
Themed Index 2016: Disney dominates while museums spin their wheels
UAE’s first Dior Spa debuts in Dubai at Dorchester Collection’s newest hotel, The Lana
Europe's premier Evian Spa unveiled at Hôtel Royal in France
Clinique La Prairie unveils health resort in China after two-year project
GoCo Health Innovation City in Sweden plans to lead the world in delivering wellness and new science
Four Seasons announces luxury wellness resort and residences at Amaala
Aman sister brand Janu debuts in Tokyo with four-floor urban wellness retreat
€38m geothermal spa and leisure centre to revitalise Croatian city of Bjelovar
Two Santani eco-friendly wellness resorts coming to Oman, partnered with Omran Group
Kerzner shows confidence in its Siro wellness hotel concept, revealing plans to open 100
Ritz-Carlton, Portland unveils skyline spa inspired by unfolding petals of a rose
Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners are just one of the names behind The Emory hotel London and Surrenne private members club
Peninsula Hot Springs unveils AUS$11.7m sister site in Australian outback
IWBI creates WELL for residential programme to inspire healthy living environments
Conrad Orlando unveils water-inspired spa oasis amid billion-dollar Evermore Resort complex
Studio A+ realises striking urban hot springs retreat in China's Shanxi Province
Populous reveals plans for major e-sports arena in Saudi Arabia
Wake The Tiger launches new 1,000sq m expansion
Othership CEO envisions its urban bathhouses in every city in North America
Merlin teams up with Hasbro and Lego to create Peppa Pig experiences
SHA Wellness unveils highly-anticipated Mexico outpost
One&Only One Za’abeel opens in Dubai featuring striking design by Nikken Sekkei
Luxury spa hotel, Calcot Manor, creates new Grain Store health club
'World's largest' indoor ski centre by 10 Design slated to open in 2025
Murrayshall Country Estate awarded planning permission for multi-million-pound spa and leisure centre
Aman's Janu hotel by Pelli Clarke & Partners will have 4,000sq m of wellness space
Therme Group confirms Incheon Golden Harbor location for South Korean wellbeing resort
Universal Studios eyes the UK for first European resort
King of Bhutan unveils masterplan for Mindfulness City, designed by BIG, Arup and Cistri
Rural locations are the next frontier for expansion for the health club sector
Tonik Associates designs new suburban model for high-end Third Space health and wellness club
From flooding old shopping malls to revolutionising housing, MVRDV’s founders like to do things differently