4172.0 - Arts and Culture in Australia: A Statistical Overview, 2004 (Reissue)  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 06/09/2006  Reissue
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Contents >> Museums >> Attendance

ATTENDANCE

According to the 2002 ABS Survey of Attendance at Selected Cultural Venues and Events a total of 5.1 million people aged 18 years and over (35% of the population) visited art museums or public art galleries or other museums in the 12 months before being interviewed. Females recorded higher attendance rates than males for both types of institution.

8.1 ATTENDANCE AT MUSEUMS, By selected characteristics, 12 months before interview - 2002
Number
Attendance Rate
Art museums & galleries
Other museums
Total(a)
Art museums & galleries
Other museums
Total(a)
'000
'000
'000
%
%
%
Sex
Males
1 578.8
1 764.0
2 382.1
22.0
24.6
33.2
Females
2 027.8
1 859.2
2 751.1
27.7
25.4
37.5
Age group (years)
18-24
453.5
425.3
626.1
23.8
22.3
32.9
25-34
694.1
785.8
1 040.1
23.9
27.0
35.8
35-44
756.1
852.5
1 158.7
25.8
29.1
39.5
45-54
735.1
668.1
972.0
27.8
25.3
36.8
55-64
528.0
484.4
699.2
28.0
25.7
37.1
65 years and over
439.7
407.0
637.0
19.7
18.3
28.6
State or Territory
New South Wales
1 224.5
1 200.5
1 729.2
25.0
24.5
35.3
Victoria
837.8
894.7
1 257.7
22.9
24.4
34.3
Queensland
618.0
562.0
831.4
22.9
20.8
30.8
South Australia
273.4
310.4
410.2
24.1
27.4
36.2
Western Australia
413.8
367.2
564.0
29.0
25.8
39.6
Tasmania
94.1
111.0
133.5
27.3
32.2
38.7
Northern Territory
33.1
45.4
50.9
31.4
43.1
48.2
Australian Capital Territory
111.8
132.0
156.4
48.4
57.1
67.7
Total
3 606.6
3 623.2
5 133.2
24.9
25.0
35.4
(a) The total is less than the sum of the components as some people visited both types of museums.
ABS, Survey of Attendance at Selected Cultural Venues and Events, 2002, data available on request.


Most people (64%) who attended Art museums and galleries had been there only once or twice in the 12 months before interview, as had about three-quarters (76%) of those who visited Other museums.

8.2 FREQUENCY OF ATTENDANCE AT MUSEUMS, 12 months before interview - 2002
Art museums & galleries
Other museums
Art museums & galleries
Other museums
'000
'000
%
%
Once
1 435.6
1 907.4
39.8
52.6
Twice
885.9
850.5
24.6
23.5
3 times
424.2
323.9
11.8
8.9
4 times
259.9
173.4
7.2
4.8
5 times
169.7
108.7
4.7
3.0
6-10 times
260.1
161.8
7.2
4.5
11-20 times
107.7
56.1
3.0
1.5
21 times or more
63.6
*41.6
1.8
*1.1
Total
3 606.7
3 623.4
100.0
100.0
* estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution
ABS, Attendance at Selected Cultural Venues and Events, Australia, 2002 (cat. no. 4114.0).


While the 'Attendance Survey' provides information on the type of people who attend a museum and an indication of how often they go, it is unable to give a figure for the total number of admissions.


As the survey only obtained information about Australian residents aged 18 years or over, some groups were excluded from the data collection such as tourists from overseas and younger age groups.


Further, as respondents were asked to indicate their frequency of attendance from a set of ranges, for example, 6-10 times, 10-15 times, 16-20 times etc. it is not possible to accurately calculate the exact number of visits.


However, an estimate of the number of admissions can be obtained from a survey of museums conducted in 1999-2000.


The survey found that there were 27.5 million admissions during the year, of which about three-fifths (60%) were free of charge. Art museums and galleries accounted for almost one-quarter (24%) of all admissions.

8.3 MUSEUM ADMISSIONS - During the year ended 30 June 2000
Other museums
Art museums and galleries
Historic properties
Museums n.e.c.
Total
'000
'000
'000
'000
Paid
1 414.6
2 936.6
6 614.6
10 965.7
Free
5 113.1
*4 323.4
7 128.6
16 566.1
Total
6 527.6
*7 260.0
13 744.2
27 531.8
* estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution
ABS, Museums, Australia, 1999-2000 (cat. no. 8560.0).




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