2016 Headline results
The results from this survey are reported annually, providing an overview of the visitor attraction sector.
The full report on the 2016 is available here: 2016 Full Trends Report (PDF, 1.9MB)
The survey is carried out through a mix of online and postal interviewing. This approach means we're unable to verify results provided by individual attractions beyond a very basic 'sense check'. Read more about our methodology (PDF, 123KB).
Survey users should also be aware that the lists of English attractions included in the report only feature those that choose to participate and make their results public.
The Annual Survey of Visits to Visitor Attractions is an official statistic and is produced in adherence with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics (2009). You can find out more about what this means by visiting Official Statistics.
If you have any queries about the survey, get in touch. Results of the survey are published according to our release timetable.
| RANK | Most visited PAID attractions | Most visited FREE attractions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name of attraction | Number of Visitors in 2016 | Name of attraction |
Number of Visitors in 2016 (E) = Estimate |
|
| 1 | Tower of London |
2,741,126 |
British Museum | 6,420,395 |
| 2 | Chester Zoo | 1,898,059 | National Gallery | 6,262,839 |
| 3 | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Gardens | 1,828,956 |
Tate Modern |
5,839,197 |
| 4 |
Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo |
1,610,556 |
Brighton Pier |
4,650,000 (E) |
| 5 |
Windermere Lake Cruises, Bowness |
1,557,423 |
Natural History Museum |
4,624,113 (E) |
| 6 |
St Paul's Cathedral |
1,519,018 |
Somerset House |
3,443,220 |
| 7 |
Stonehenge |
1,381,855 | Science Museum | 3,245,750 |
| 8 |
Royal Academy of Arts |
1,285,595 |
Victoria and Albert Museum |
3,022,086 |
| 9 |
ZSL London Zoo |
1,211,279 | National Portrait Gallery | 1,949,330 |
| 10 |
Westminster Abbey |
1,202,000 (E) |
British Library | 1,496,685 |
| 11 |
RHS Garden Wisley |
1,135,976 |
MAC Birmingham |
1,130,030 |
| 12 |
Roman Baths |
1,093,856 |
Serpentine Gallery |
1,111,015 |
|
13 |
Drayton Manor Theme Park |
1,054,102 (E) |
Tate Britain |
1,081,542 |
| 14 | Colchester Zoo | 1,017,023 |
Imperial War Museum London |
1,011,172 |
| 15 | Eden Project | 1,000,363 |
Discover Greenwich Visitor Centre |
936,013 (E) |
| 16 |
Pleasure Beach, Great Yarmouth |
1,000,000 |
Ashmolean Museum |
910,419 |
| 17 | Houses of Parliament | 990,014 |
Museum of London |
856,559 |
| 18 |
Shakespeare's Globe |
938,432 |
Merseyside Maritime Museum |
840,675 |
| 19 |
Canterbury Cathedral |
903,319 (E) |
The Ice Cream Farm |
821,462 |
| 20 |
Hampton Court Palace |
903,270 |
Museum of Liverpool |
802,722 |
