#uk-museums

#uk-museums

Twenty-five years ago, the UK made the bold and generous gesture of making its national museums free to all. Suddenly, anyone from anywhere in the world could gaze at iconic works of art by the greatest artists in history without having to pay a penny.

The UK has seen a drastic drop in the acquisition of artworks by museums, with only 1% of items with deferred export licenses saved in 2024-25.

According to Frederic Jousset, the funding for cultural institutions in the UK lags behind other nations, leaving many children without access to arts.