Meanwhile, 35% of institutions have seen an increase in visitors - a trend that is expected to rise over the summer as more people choose to holiday in the UK this year. It seems that the relatively low cost or free entry to museums provides good value for visitors when money is tight.
Museums have also taken advantage of a dip in the art market to buy new works. 50% say they have purchased an object in the last six months and almost half of those museums achieved a discount of more than 10%.
Momentum
The Art Fund say they have always encouraged museums to negotiate a discount: their research has found that there are now some real bargains to be had, with museums negotiating discounts of up to 40%.
However, only 24% of museums said they intend to purchase an object for their collections in the near future.
The survey, which is the first of its kind, covers the period between September 2008 and March 2009 - when the downturn began to gain momentum. A total of 312 UK museums took part - almost 20% of all accredited museums.
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The Art Fund will repeat the survey every six months to identify trends (such as whether curatorial posts remain secure) and to measure if and to what extent funding from non-public sources such as corporate sponsorship is drying up.
David Barrie, Director of The Art Fund said: "It's not good news to hear that so many museums have suffered or expect cuts, but the fact that visitors are on the up shows how much museums matter to people, especially now that times are hard. There is a really important message here for our political leaders: think very carefully before you risk doing lasting damage to organisations that cost relatively little to run but matter such a lot to the communities they serve".
Key Findings
35% of museums are seeing an increase in visitors and expect trend to continue
65% of museums have had budget cuts in the last six months
60% of museums which receive public funding expect a drop in funds this year
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