Dutch museums attracted a combined 31,6 million visits in 2025. This represents an increase of 2,5 percent compared to the previous year and brings the sector ever closer to the pre-corona record level. This can be read in the recently released publication Museumcijfers 2025. At the same time, the use of the Museum Card once again reached a record high of 9,7 million visits, nearly five percent more than in the peak year of 2019.
Some figures from the 2025 annual report:
- In 2025, a total of 31,6 million visits were made to the 492 museums, of which 23,1 million were from the domestic and 8,5 million from abroad.
- Museums in North Holland, South Holland, Gelderland, and Utrecht together account for 25,4 million visits (80%) in 2025.
- The 5 largest Amsterdam museums accounted for 6,7 million visits in 2025.
- Natural history museums saw a 28% increase in visitor numbers between 2019 and 2025. Art museums (-14%) and ethnographic museums (-22%), on the other hand, recorded a decline during this period.
On Pretwerk, Ginder previously looked at developments in the museum sector. The latest observation, in particular, elicits a response from researcher Timo van Boekel: “It is interesting to see that, compared to 2024, museums focusing on 'natural history' and 'ethnology' are seeing the largest increase. These are also the museums with the highest percentage of domestic visitors. Compared to 2019, the share of foreign visitors remains below the level, while domestic visitors are largely stable again at pre-corona levels.”
43% of museums ended 2025 with a loss
The average admission price for adults rose by 7% in one year, from €10,60 to €11,30. Admission revenue increased from €288 million to €310 million and now accounts for 46% of all own revenue. Spending in food and beverage and retail accounts for 18% of own revenue. Despite rising visitor numbers and the increased average admission price, presenting a balanced budget proves to be a difficult task for many museums.
- Total revenue by 5,6% to €1,38 billion;
- Own revenues grew by 4,4% to €672 million;
- The cost level increased by 5,5% to €1,41 billion;
- Personnel costs even rose by 9%.
On balance, a combined deficit of €28,9 million remained. 43% of the museums closed the year with a loss. All four size classes recorded a negative result on average.
However, the financial deficits do not mean that museums are collapsing en masse at this moment. There are also alternatives, according to the spokesperson for the Museum Association: “The number of affiliated museums has actually grown to 492 in recent years. We do see, however, that due to the financial pressure, some museums have to restructure their organization, make choices regarding programming, postpone investments, or seek additional support from governments and other financiers.”
Museum Card remains a driver of museum visits
The Museum Card remains a key driver behind the success of the museum sector. In 2025, nearly 9,7 million museum visits were made using a Museum Card, a record. This accounts for 31 percent of all museum visits in the Netherlands. Compared to the peak year of 2019, the number of visits with the Museum Card is now nearly five percent higher. The number of cardholders also remains high. In 2025, there were on average over 1,5 million Museum Cards in circulation. Museums collectively received over €81,4 million in visitor fees for these, a record amount. An important development is the introduction of the digital Museum Card. Half a million digital Museum Cards are now in use. This means that a third of all Museum Cards are available via a smartphone app.
More information: https://museumvereniging.nl/over-ons/beleidsplannen-jaarverslagen/museumcijfers-2025/