In a press released issued on 13 September, the Netherlands Museums Association (Museumvereniging) states that it expects less than 10 million museum visitors in 2021, compared to 33 million in pre-pandemic 2019. Especially visits by international tourists dropped by 82%, from 10 million in 2019 to 1.8 million in 2020.
To compensate for the compulsory closures and limits on visitor numbers, Dutch museums are demanding that the government makes additional funding available for the final three months of 2021 and throughout 2022. The press release reads “Museums need more time to recuperate.” and “With extra support, museums can bridge the shortfall in visitor numbers and maintain quality. A national recovery fund is essential.”
- Read the press release (in Dutch)
- Find more information in English in an article by Dutch News
