In 2023, the population and tourists have returned to the numerous museums found in Switzerland, exceeding 1,100 national, regional or local institutions. The Federal Statistical Office (FSO) announced this Monday that the total number of entries came close to 15 million, or 14.95 million to be exact.
This result exceeds the figure for 2019 by 5% (14.24 million) and even the pre-pandemic average from 2015 to 2019 by 12% (13.30 million). The OFS notes that the increase was strong in natural science museums (+27% compared to the 2015-2019 average) and technical museums (+26%).
In 2023, 67 museums recorded 50,000 admissions or more, the highest figure since statistics began. The only downside is a slight drop in the number of museums in the country. In 2023, 1,104 were open to the public, 37 fewer than in 2019.
For the first time in 2023, the FSO compiled figures on the accessibility of museums for people with disabilities. Four out of ten museums (39%) allow wheelchair access. This statistic shows notable differences. Natural science museums are the most accessible with a proportion of 76%, or three out of four. On the other hand, regional and local museums, which constitute the largest group, remain poorly accessible with only 19%.
