These figures reflect a year-over-year increase, highlighting the consolidation of the recovery in demand during the post-pandemic period.
Regarding supply, there were 690 museums in operation in Portugal in 2024, 46 more than in the previous year, corresponding to a year-on-year increase of 7.1%, reflecting a strengthening of installed capacity and territorial coverage of museum offerings.
Regarding demand, the total number of visitors increased by 1.4 million compared to 2023, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.6%. This growth confirms the continued upward trend in demand for museum services nationwide.
Of the total number of visitors recorded, 10.0 million were domestic visitors and 9.4 million were foreign visitors. In absolute terms, demand from foreign visitors increased by 770,500 visitors, while demand from domestic visitors increased by 600,600 visitors.
In relative terms, the growth in demand was more pronounced among foreign visitors, with a year-on-year increase of 8.9%, compared to a 6.4% rise observed among domestic visitors. This difference confirms the greater dynamism of foreign demand, whose contribution to overall demand growth has been steadily increasing.
In summary, the 2024 results show sustained growth in demand for museums in Portugal, increasingly driven by foreign visitors, although domestic demand continues to play a structurally significant role in the stability and sustainability of the museum sector.
