Families ‘spending less’ during arts and heritage visits

The behaviour of families visiting heritage and arts organisations is shifting in response to economic pressures, research has found.

A joint survey run in March by Arts Professional and UK Heritage Pulse found that 48.7% of respondents said there had not been a difference in spending when families were on site.

However, 17.9% said there had been a decrease in general spending, compared with 3.8% seeing an increase.

“When families are on site, they rarely spend any money at the museum but may buy items at the community shop next door. Spending patterns are lower than in previous years,” one respondent said.

Another said there was “virtually no secondary spend”, adding that donations have also “fallen to an all-time low” at free events and activities.

Successful strategies

The survey found that the most successful strategies reported by respondents in terms of attracting families were ‘organising events or activities’ (22%.

This was followed by ‘organising child-specific events or activities’ and ‘improving audience engagement or communications’ (both 18.7%).

Respondents also reported that price sensitivity is affecting attendance and on-site spending, with families seeking free or lower-cost experiences.

Meanwhile, many sites reported that grandparents are now key in bringing children, often expanding the catchment area of sites but contributing less to secondary spending.

Free experiences

The survey also found that some organisations are successfully adapting by enhancing free experiences, leveraging influencer marketing, and using word-of-mouth recommendations to drive engagement.

A multidisciplinary arts venue in the North East of England said they had found grandparents were purchasing tickets as presents for younger members of their family.

This meant that their catchment area had increased as families visited from further afield. However, they said families often brought their own food rather than spending at the on-site café.

A heritage site in the East of England found that while they had seen a decline in family tickets sold, attendance was higher for free events driven by grandparents bringing grandchildren to the site.

Again, while this increased attendance, this did not filter through to secondary spending once these families were on-site.

Sector confidence improving

The survey also found that confidence in the sector is “steadily improving”, with an average survival rating of 7.5 out of 10.

Respondents reported feeling more assured in their organisation’s ability to navigate the next year and deliver their core mission.

Staff retention also showed positive signs, with 7.7 out of 10 respondents intending to stay at their organisation for the next year, an increase from 7.1 in January 2025.

Despite this, stress levels have climbed to 5 out of 10, the highest since September 2024.