Slovenian museums and galleries attracted almost three million visitors in 2025

In 2025, Slovenian museums and galleries attracted nearly three million visitors, according to data released by the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (Surs). The figures cover the number of visitors who viewed exhibitions held by museums, cultural institutions with museum collections, and galleries during the previous year. This marks a notable increase compared to the previous year, with approximately 150,000 more visitors than in 2024. The total number of visitors reached 2,977,498, averaging around 8,158 per day. On average, each exhibition was visited by about 2,332 individuals. Foreign visitors accounted for nearly a third of all attendees, representing an increase of almost nine percentage points compared to the previous year. Children and young people made up nearly a quarter of the visitors, at 23.9 percent. Beyond physical exhibitions, museums and galleries also presented works in virtual spaces. In 2025, 68 virtual exhibitions were organized, attracting 137,410 views. These digital offerings expanded access to cultural content, particularly for audiences unable to visit in person. The collections housed by these institutions included approximately 9.8 million items. Of these, 51.7 percent were visual or artistic materials, primarily photographs accounting for 49.5 percent of all items. Another 37 percent were archaeological, historical, or ethnological artifacts. To engage visitors, many museums and galleries offered workshops, guided tours, interactive events, lectures, and discussions tailored to their audience. In 2025, over 43,970 such events were organized, with 1,024,184 participants. Among them, 61 percent were children and young people. Ticket sales generated revenue of approximately €7.1 million, marking an increase of roughly €1.6 million compared to 2024. While the average ticket price remained around €4 between 2016 and 2022, it began rising in 2023, reaching approximately €6.5 in 2025. However, free entry was available for certain days, including events like the Summer Museum Night and Culture Day, with nearly 615,000 free tickets issued. A total of 1,166 employees and 2,181 external collaborators supported the activities of museums and galleries in 2025. Among the regular staff, 12 percent were under the age of 35. External collaborators included students (38.4 percent), authors under contract (22.2 percent), self-employed individuals in culture (13.8 percent), self-employed entrepreneurs (12.9 percent), collaborators under service agreements (4.9 percent), and volunteers (3.7 percent). The remaining four percent were employed through agencies or other means. Revenue for the operations of museums and galleries totaled €86.5 million. Public funds contributed the largest share, amounting to €66.7 million, with the state contributing €47.7 million. Income from cultural and other activities amounted to €17.8 million, while donations and sponsorships from Slovenia and abroad added €2 million. Total expenses for carrying out museum and gallery activities in 2025 amounted to €80.6 million. Approximately 59.3 percent of this was allocated to operational costs, including payments to external collaborators. About 33.9 percent went toward museum and gallery activities, while the remaining 6.8 percent was reserved for investments and business operations.