MUSEUMS SHOW AN INCREASE IN VISITORS DURING 2009

THE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUMS REPORTED 2009 ATTENDANCE OF 30 MILLION, UP FROM 25 MILLION THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THIS MARKS THE FIRST TIME ATTENDANCE HAS RISEN TO 30 MILLION SINCE 2001. ADMISSION TO ALL SMITHSONIAN MUSEUMS IN WASHINGTON DC IS FREE. THE SMITHSONIAN'S NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY WAS THE MOST VISITED MUSEUM AT THE SMITHSONIAN WITH 7.4 MILLION VISITORS; ATTENDANCE AT THE MUSEUM WAS UP 450,000 FROM 2008. THE NATION AL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM WAS THE SECOND MOST VISITED SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM ON THE MALL WITH 7 MILLION VISITS AND AN ADDITIONAL 1.2 MILLION VISITORS AT ITS HAZY CENTER NEAR DULLES AIRPORT. ATTENDANCE FIGURES WERE INFLUENCED BY THE RELEASE OF 'NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM 2: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN', WHICH OPENED IN THEATERS IN MAY. DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, FAMILIES WHO HAD SEEN THE MOVIE ASKED VISITOR SERVICES' STAFF IN THE AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM WHERE THE REAL THINGS WERE IN THE MUSEUM. ATTENDANCE FIGURES AT THE MUSEUMS ARE COLLECTED BY SMITHSONIAN SECURITY GUARDS, WHO USE HAND CLICKERS TO RECORD EACH PERSON COMING IN A PUBLIC ENTRANCE. A PERSON WHO VISITS SEVERAL DIFFERENT SMITHSONIAN MUSEUMS WILL BE COUNTED EACH TIME. THAT IS WHY THE INSTITUTION USES THE TERM 'VISITS', RATHER THAN 'VISITORS' TO DESCRIBE THE OVERALL NUMBER.

THE LOUVRE MUSEUM. PARIS, SAYS IT HAD 8.5 MILLION VISITORS LAST YEAR, THE SAME NUMBER IT HAD IN THE RECORD-BREAKING 2008. TEMPORARY EXHIBITS, INCLUDING A SHOW ABOUT THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS AND ANOTHER ON VENETIAN RENAISSANCE MASTER TITIAN, TINTORETTO AND VERONESE, HELPED ATTRACT ART LOVERS. ON TOP OF THE 8.5 MILLION PEOPLE WHO TOURED THE PARIS MUSEUM, ANOTHER 3.5 MILLION VISITED TRAVELING SHOWS OF LOUVRE WORKS IN FRANCE AND ABROAD. ONE TRAVELING EXHIBIT ON THE 18th CENTURY EUROPEAN PAINTING DREW IN 1.5 MILLION VISITORS IN TOKYO AND KYOTO, JAPAN. THE LOUVRE RELEASED IT ANNUAL FIGURES ON VISITORS MONDAY.