A Banksy exhibition, a long-awaited overhaul of Scotland’s national art gallery and a surge in international tourism helped deliver a bumper year for the country’s leading visitor attractions.

Scotland’s flagship museums, galleries and historic sites saw numbers attracted an extra 7.1 million visitors last year – a 17 per cent increase across the board.

Experts say visitor numbers to attractions have returned to pre-pandemic levels despite the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and inflation on the spending power of visitors.

A multi-million pound project to create new exhibition spaces for Scottish art treasures at the National Gallery in Edinburgh was unveiled in September. Picture: Dapple Photography

The new research, which found 48.6 million visitors were recorded at attractions last year, has been published weeks after it emerged overseas visitors were travelling to Scotland in greater numbers than before the pandemic.

The National Museum of Scotland retained its crown as Scotland’s busiest attraction as it saw visitor numbers increase by more than 10 per cent in a year, to 2.18m, just shy of the 2.21m recorded in 2019.

Edinburgh Castle, the most popular “paid-for” attraction, recorded a 41.5 per cent increase in its visitor numbers, to 1.9m, compared to 2.2m in 2019.

The National Gallery in Edinburgh, which unveiled a £38.62m project to create new exhibition spaces for its Scottish work in September, was the third busiest attraction and had its busiest ever year. It recorded a 43 per cent increase and attracted 1.83m visitors.

New exhibition spaces dedicated to showcasing Scottish art treasures opened at the National Gallery in Edinburgh in September. Picture: Neil Hanna

Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art, which recorded a 60 per cent increase in its visitor numbers, to more than 510,000, attracted 180,000 people alone to its Banksy exhibition, which ran for ten weeks and was open during the night to accommodate demand.

The post-pandemic recovery of Edinburgh’s tourism market was reflected in a 51 per cent increase in the number of visitors to the Royal Yacht Britannia, to more than 360,000, while St Giles’ Cathedral recorded a 37 per cent increase, to more than 1.4m.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow’s most popular attraction, saw visitor numbers rise more than 32 per cent, to 1.2m. The Glenfinnan Monument, the busiest attraction in the Highlands and Islands, saw visitor numbers increase by 35 per cent to more than 540,000. Urquhart Castle, on the banks of Loch Ness, recorded a 24 per cent increase, to notch up 440,000 visitors.

Anne Lyden, director-general of the National Galleries, said: “In September we opened our free-to-visit new Scottish galleries, transforming the visitor experience with 12 new breath-taking spaces dedicated to showcasing the very best historic Scottish art. We’re elated that 2023 was such an incredible year.”

Dr Chris Breward, director of the National Museum, said: “It is encouraging that visitor numbers have nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, making it once again the most popular attraction in Scotland.

"It’s a very financially challenging time for our sector, but this boost in numbers, alongside similarly heartening figures from other Scottish attractions is testament to the vital place culture holds in national life.”

Michael Golding, chief executive of the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions, said: “Our sector's relentless focus on delivering exceptional visitor experiences has been key to our recovery. The consistent upward trend in visitor numbers is a result of the hard work of businesses.”

What are Scotland's most visited attractions, museums and castles? Edinburgh Castle, National Museum of Scotland, National Gallery

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