22 February 2002
The committee, in a report on access to the London museum published last week, criticised the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for responding to the poor results by reducing the museum's target from a 16% increase in visitors to no increase at all in the three years to 2002.
'In return for the substantial public funds it receives, the V&A has a duty to do all it can to draw in large numbers of visitors from all parts of society,' said PAC chair Edward Leigh.
Between 1994/95 and 1999/2000 visitors fell 22%, from 1.63 million to 1.27 million, and the subsidy per visitor rose from about £20 to £25.
'The introduction of free admission... gives the museum the opportunity to recover lost ground,' the MPs said. 'We expect this to be reflected in future targets.'
PFfeb2002
