While Others Raise Fees, "We Still Won't Charge" - UK Withdraws Foreign Tourist Museum Admission Plan

Reversal of Admission Charges, Free Entry Policy Maintained
UK Culture Secretary: "Everyone Should Have Access"
A Move Opposing the Global Trend of Raising Admission Fees

The UK government has decided to withdraw its plan to charge admission fees for foreign tourists at national museums and art galleries and will maintain its existing free admission policy.

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According to reports by the Independent and Financial Times (FT) on September 28 (local time), Lisa Nandy, the UK Secretary of State for Culture, stated that free admission would continue at all 15 national museums and art galleries, including the British Museum and the National Gallery.

Secretary Nandy remarked, "Museums are places that illuminate the world. They remind us of our shared history and allow us to break through the boundaries of daily life," adding, "They should always be free for everyone to use."

Since early this year, the UK government had been considering imposing entrance fees for foreign visitors as a means of ensuring the long-term financial independence of national museums. This would have reversed the policy of free admission to national museums and art galleries that has been in place since 2001, ending 25 years of free access.

However, concerns were raised over the fact that most of the collections in the UK's national museums and galleries are artifacts and artworks acquired from around the world, and that it would be difficult to distinguish foreign tourists without checking IDs.

There were also concerns about negative impacts on the tourism industry. The cost of traveling in the UK is already higher compared to other major tourist destinations, and introducing admission fees at its leading museums could deter potential visitors. Analyses by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) indicated that while some large museums in London could benefit financially from charging foreign visitors, the number of domestic visitors would likely decrease.

Gabriele Finaldi, Director of the National Gallery, said, "Free admission to national museums is one of the UK's greatest cultural assets," and added, "Thanks to this, millions of people come to the museums to view and learn from the works on display."

Meanwhile, the UK's decision stands in contrast to recent moves by other major museums and galleries around the world. The Louvre Museum in France, the Uffizi Gallery in Italy, and the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands have all imposed or increased admission fees, citing reasons such as facility modernization and improved management of their collections.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.