Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to encourage more young people to visit museums, particularly those from disadvantaged families.

This question was answered on 17th December 2014

The government continues to support free entry to the national museum collections. Entrance to the national museums has been free since 2001 and visitor numbers have risen continually, including for families from all backgrounds. A number of the museums and galleries have developed specific programmes targeting young people including Youth Panels. Examples of initiatives specifically targeting young people include the TATE Galleries participation in Circuit, led by the National Youth Network for the Visual Arts, and The Imperial War Museum’s project, New Perspectives: Lesser known histories of the first world war which challenges young people to take a new perspective on the First World War.

The major partner museums sponsored by Arts Council England are also seeking innovative and creative ways of engaging young people with their collections including: Norfolk Museums Creative Collisions Youth Arts Network and Exeter’s The Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery’s, Count Me In Programme. ACE also directly funds education provision through investment in major partner museums.

In addition, and to increase the number of young people accessing museums, the Museums and Schools Programme has been introduced to increase the number of schools visits to museums. Through Arts Council England, The Department for Education is providing funding of £3.6m, supporting 10 regional museum services in partnership with National Museums and schools in areas of high deprivation across England, where engagement between schools and culture has been low. So far 87,598 pupils have visited a regional museum as part of the museums and schools programme.