The Ashmolean has passed a major milestone this week, welcoming more than a million people through its doors since 1 January 2025. This will be the first time the Museum has reached a million visitors since the reopening of the Ashmolean in 2009.
By passing one million visitors, the Museum will be about 14% ahead of this time last year, when 879,077 visitors had been recorded by the end of November 2024. Visitor numbers to the Ashmolean have grown steadily in recent years. The Museum welcomed 942,692 visitors in 2024 and 900,277 visitors in 2023, cementing its position as one of the most popular attractions in South East England.
Alongside the increase in total visitors, the Museum has also seen a shift in the profile of its visitors, with proportional increases in overseas visitors, visitors from within Oxfordshire, and families. Commercial events have provided a steady stream of new visitors with an event or wedding taking place in the Ashmolean nearly every day of the week. Commercial trading, philanthropy and research funding now make up more than half of the Museum’s income streams.
Surveys show that during the cost-of-living crisis, being free at the point of entry is an important factor motivating Ashmolean visitors. Many of the Museum’s temporary displays and exhibitions are free, including the 'Ashmolean NOW' programme of contemporary exhibitions, plus changing rotations of works from the stores shown across the galleries. Some of the Museum’s most popular tours and events are offered free or at nominal cost. Major draws to the Museum this year have been the new Rome & the Roman Empire gallery and the acclaimed ticketed exhibition on the art of Radiohead, which runs until 18 January 2026.
Dr Xa Sturgis, Director of the Ashmolean Museum, says: ‘The Ashmolean team is absolutely thrilled to have welcomed a million people through our doors this year – and we hope to see many more before the year is out. These figures are testament to the strength of our programme, our fantastic collections, an increased understanding of our audiences, and vitally important free admission. I am particularly pleased to see a rise in visitors from the local community, and I hope we’ll see them again in 2026 for our exciting new exhibitions and events.’
