Museum visits still not back to pre-pandemic levels, data shows

Museum attendance in the Netherlands has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, Statistics Netherlands data show. In 2024, museums welcomed almost 32 million visitors, roughly matching 2023 figures, but still 2 million fewer than in 2019, before the coronavirus outbreak.

Although all age groups are visiting museums less, the decline is largest among people aged 65 and over. Compared with 2019, they visited 19 percent less in 2024, even though the total number of people aged 65 and over increased by 11 percent during that period.

Even as foreign tourist numbers rise, their museum visits are declining. In 2024, foreign visitors accounted for 8.8 million museum trips, or 28 percent of the total, down from 10.3 million (30 percent) five years earlier. The average ticket price has increased by 22 percent since 2019, roughly matching the 22.7 percent inflation rate.

Never before have so many people held a Museum Card as in 2024, the Museum Association announced earlier this year. The card grants unlimited entry to the 473 member museums. Cardholders accounted for 9.4 million museum visits, marking a 2 percent increase compared with 2019, according to Statistics Netherlands.

In October, the Museum Association reported that museums drew 30.8 million visitors. A Statistics Netherlands spokesperson explained that the difference arises because the association tracks only its 473 member museums, while Statistics Netherlands figures cover 621 museums in total.