Written question asked by Lord Temple-Morris (Labour) on Monday, 12 September 2016, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 26 September 2016. It was answered by Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen (Conservative) on Friday, 16 September 2016 on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Museums and Galleries: Fees and Charges

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to allow publicly owned museums and art galleries to impose charges for entry.

Answer: The Government is committed to maintaining free admission to the permanent collections of major museums and galleries, as set out in the 2015 manifesto, and government funding to national museums is provided with this condition. DCMS-sponsored museums can and do charge for temporary exhibitions and special events. Charging at other publicly owned museums is the responsibility of the organisations that operate them, for example local councils.

Secondary information