A SURVEY has revealed that people in the North-East visit museums more often than people anywhere else in the country.

The most comprehensive survey of museum satisfaction rates and visitor numbers, covering five years, was published this month by the Museums, Libraries and Archives council (MLA).

Residents of the North-East lead the way in museum visits with an average of four visits a person per year, and almost everyone who did visit a museum or gallery said they would go to the venue again.

Eight out of ten people said they felt it was important that their local city or town had its own museum or art gallery.

MLA chairman Mark Wood said: "Museums have been transformed over the past few years. More people are visiting them, and we know that once people do start going, they're hooked."

The survey, carried out by Mori, revealed that nearly a third of people cited lack of time as the main reason for not visiting museums. The number of people who said there was nothing in museums they wanted to see has halved from 41 per cent in 1999, to 19 per cent.

Published: 19/10/2004