The Leicestershire public park ranked in top 50 of visitor attractions in England.
New figures have revealed that a number of visitor attractions in Leicester and Leicestershire saw their visitor numbers grow last year. The VisitEngland Annual Survey of Visits to Visitor Attractions has shown that Bradgate Park is the most popular local attraction, reporting over 724,000 visitors in 2023, up from 720,000 in the previous year. This puts the Leicestershire public park in the top 50 and top 3% of visitor attractions in England.
In the East Midlands, there are five Leicester and Leicestershire attractions in the top 10 free to visit attractions, based on visitor numbers recorded in 2022 and 2023:
- Leicester Museum and Art Gallery, up 19% from 222,128 to 263,622
- Guildhall Museum in Leicester, up 31% from 38,063 to 49,939
- Newarke Houses Museum in Leicester, up 38% from 34,588 to 47,644
- Abbey Pumping Station in Leicester, up 26% from 37,744 to 47,554
- Charnwood Museum, down 10% from 43,113 to 38,994
“We’re extremely proud of the city’s history and heritage, so it’s great to hear that four out of the 10 most-visited free attractions in the East Midlands are museums here in Leicester,” said City Mayor Peter Soulsby.
“Our permanent attractions, such as the Dinosaur Gallery at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery, or the giant beam engines at the Abbey Pumping Station, remain firm favourites with visitors, while a wide range of popular events and temporary exhibitions throughout the year ensure there’s always something new to see.
“With visitor numbers rising, it’s clear that our museums continue to be an important destination for people looking for a great day out.”
Acting leader of Leicestershire County Council, Deborah Taylor, said: “More and more people are choosing to visit Leicestershire and enjoy the wealth of attractions on offer. Bradgate Park remains a favourite for local and visitors alike and I’m pleased that free museums are also proving increasingly popular.
“Innovative campaigns targeting visitors keen to sample Leicestershire’s produce, discover fascinating tales and enjoy a more active break are helping to put our county on the map.”
The VisitEngland Annual Survey of Visits to Visitor Attractions is carried out on behalf of VisitEngland by BVA BDRC and the 2023 report is based on a survey of 1,513 England visitor attractions. The full report is available here.
