National Gallery Bicentenary begins with 4 million visits globally in 2023 including just under 1 million on its Asia tour and over 60 million digital and social views
More than 4 million people enjoyed National Gallery paintings in person in 2023 - wherever in the world they were on display.
Figures announced by the Gallery today show that 4,287,434 visits were made in person in 2023 to the National Gallery, London, and to its exhibitions, displays, experiences and other creative programmes on tour. *
952,551 visits were made to the Gallery's 2023‒4 exhibition tour of Asia (Shanghai Museum, The National Museum of Korea and Hong Kong Palace Museum) and 154,202 visits were made to National Gallery displays and exhibitions on UK tour.
Of this combined figure of over four million, 3,096,508 visits were made to the Gallery in Trafalgar Square during 2023 (that is an increase of 14% on the 2022 figure of 2,727,119.)
In addition, a further 26,201 visits were made during 2023 by school students and teachers to the Gallery in Trafalgar Square while 6,035 visits were made online by students and teachers. The Gallery’s 'Summer on the Square' free outdoor festival of creativity attracted 25,932 visits.
32,040 visits were made by students and teachers, alumni and partners to the Gallery and other venues engaged in the annual 'Articulation Prize'. This is organised by the Gallery for those aged between 16 and 19 who deliver a 10-minute presentation to an audience about a work of art, architecture or an artefact in a museum or gallery setting. In addition, there were 500 online teaching sessions for 'Articulation'.
The Gallery’s digital and social media,** including online exhibitions, talks and courses, and the 'Keeper of Paintings' in-Gallery app, attracted 60,115,760 video views from 1 January to 31 December 2023. These include 60 million video views in total across Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and YouTube, which alone accounted for four million of the 60 million total.
The figures are published as the Gallery enters its Bicentenary year with a wide-ranging programme to mark the 200th anniversary of the Gallery’s foundation. This year-long festival of art, creativity and imagination will take place across the UK, around the world, and at the Gallery’s home in London’s Trafalgar Square where Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers will open in autumn 2024. This major exhibition (14 September 2024 – 19 January 2025) will also mark the centenary of the Gallery’s acquisition of the artist’s Sunflowers and Van Gogh’s Chair (1888), two of its most famous pictures, in 1924.
Dr Gabriele Finaldi, Director of the National Gallery, London, says: ‘The National Gallery continues to build on its founding principles of bringing people and great art together. We strongly feel that in 2024 and beyond we cannot demand that people come to the art, art must also go to them. Through our collection, our exhibitions in London, throughout the UK as well as the hugely popular exhibition tour in Asia – a large number of people have engaged with the Gallery. Our digital and social media platforms including online exhibitions and courses and apps have brought us to an even bigger global audience. We look forward to sharing the National Gallery with more and more people through our exciting Bicentenary programme.’
Notes to editors
* Including those exhibitions on tour in the UK that started at the end of 2022 and ended in early January 2024. The Asia tour dates are in 2023 and visitor data is recorded from the start of the tour on 17 January 2023 to the present day (as 'Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London' at the Hong Kong Palace Museum does not end until 11 April 2024.) The figures do not include single loans to non-National Gallery organised or partnered exhibitions or displays internationally and in the UK.
Overall in-person visits:
3,096,508 The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square during 2023
952,551 The Gallery's 2023‒4 exhibition tour of Asia
154,202 The National Gallery’s displays and exhibitions on UK tour 2023‒4.
32,040 Visits made by students and teachers, alumni and partners to the Gallery and other sites in the UK that were engaged in the annual 'Articulation Prize' in 2023
26,201 Visits made during 2023 by school students and teachers to the Gallery in Trafalgar Square
25,932 The Gallery’s 'Summer on the Square' drawing activities in 2023
Total: 4,287,434
** Overall Digital and Social media statistics 2023:
Social Media:
60 million video views including Facebook, (X, formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, Threads and YouTube (including 4 million views on YouTube as part of the 60 million total).
Digital:
Website visits – 17,108,300 page views
Gallery room tours – 27,020 views
Virtual exhibitions – 24,786 views
Online courses for the public – 15,035
Free online events for the public – 4,638
On-demand films for Members – 15,300 views
Online events for Members (paid and free) –10,325 attendees
Unique active users of visitor guide/trail apps (in visits on-site to the Gallery in Trafalgar Square and digitally):
Smartify app collection content – 80,109 users
'The Keeper of Paintings' in-Gallery app – 12,656 users and more than 6,000 repeat visits.
In-person visit venues:
National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, total visits January 1 – December 31 2023:
3,096,508
National Gallery Asia Tour 2023‒4 visits:
'Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery'
Shanghai Museum (17 January – 7 May 2023)
'Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London'
The National Museum of Korea (2 June – 9 October 2023)
'Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London'
Hong Kong Palace Museum (22 November 2023 – 11 April 2024)
Total (with figure for Hong Kong Palace Museum up to 19 February 2024): 952,551
National Gallery exhibitions on tour in the UK visits 2022‒24:
'Ali Cherri: If you prick us, do we not bleed?'
The Herbert, Coventry, (12 August 22 – 8 January 23)
'Nalini Malani: My Reality is Different'
The Holburne Museum, Bath, Somerset (7 October 22 – 8 January 23)
'Masterpiece Tour 2023 (Tobias and the Angel)':
Oriel Davies, Newtown, Powys, Wales (2 December 2022 – 5 March 2023)
The Beacon Museum, Whitehaven, Cumbria (10 March – 4 June 2023)
Carmarthenshire County Museum, Carmarthen (8 September 2023 – 7 January 2024)
'Dutch Flowers':
Compton Verney, Warwickshire (29 October 2022 – 15 January 2023)
Sheffield Museums, Sheffield, (22 June 2023 – 17 September 2023)
The Box, Plymouth, Devon, (2 October 2023 – 7 January 2024)
'Gossaert: Sensing the Unseen':
Torre Abbey, Torquay, Devon (3 December 2022‒ 19 February 2023)
'Sin':
York Museums Trust York, Yorkshire (7 October 2022 ‒ 22 January 2023)
The Arc, Hampshire Cultural Trust, Winchester (24 Feb 23 – 17 May 23)
The Auckland Project, Bishop Auckland, County Durham (17 June 2023 – 1 October 2023)
'Masterpiece Tour 2022 (Rembrandt)':
Beacon Museum, Whitehaven, Cumbria, (24 September 2022 – 8 January 2023)
Carmarthenshire County Museum Carmarthen (14 January 2023 – 23 April 2023)
'Constable Visits' 2023:
Isle of Wight (June /July 2023)
Basildon, Essex (June /July 2023)
Jarrow, South Shields (June /July 2023)
Dudley, West Midlands (June /July 2023)
Croydon, Greater London (June /July 2023)
Total visits for National Gallery exhibitions on tour in the UK: 154,202
Learning projects:
National Gallery 'Summer on the Square' total visits 2023: 25,932
Take One Picture our national programme for primary schools
660 teacher online engagements from 370 schools.
School visits to the National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, January – December 2023:
Facilitated on-site sessions: 24,291 students, 2,310 teachers
Online school figures for the same period: 5,840 students, 195 teachers.
'Articulation', January 2023 to December 2023:
The annual 'Articulation Prize' invites those aged between 16 and 19 to deliver a 10-minute presentation to an audience about a work of art, architecture or an artefact in a museum or gallery setting.
Sustained engagement: 4,197 (includes students, alumni, teachers and partners)
Sustained engagement is defined as those young people taking part in consultation, workshops, preparing and delivering presentations, as well as opportunities offered through the Alumni Network. 200 of these were engagements on site in Trafalgar (including new categories workshops, alumni activities, Grand Finalist speakers and those doing tours as part Grand Final) in addition, a further 500 engaged with the programme online.
Broader engagement: 28,343 (includes students, alumni, teachers and partners)
Broader engagement is defined as those young people listening to Prize presentations at internal school heats and regional events. 550 of these were engagements on site in the Gallery.
Total 'Articulation' participation: 33,040 (includes students, alumni, teachers and partners)
School visits and 'Articulation' Total in person: 58,641
School visits and 'Articulation' Total online: 6,535
NG200: 200 years of the National Gallery
From 10 May 2024, the 200th anniversary of the Gallery’s foundation, a year-long festival of art, creativity and imagination will take place across the UK, and around the world, and at our home in London. This will lead us into our third century of bringing people and paintings together. For more information go to: nationalgallery.org.uk/about-us/ng200-programme
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