UK decides against charging foreign visitors for museums

The UK government said on Tuesday that national museums would remain free for foreign visitors, after previously floating the idea of charging tourists an entry fee to buoy the cash-strapped sector. Access to permanent collections at national museums such as London's British Museum and National Gallery has been free for the millions of tourists who visit every year since 2001, unlike at many European and international counterparts. The government announced in March it would explore the idea of charging foreign visitors to boost funding. The government believes the "impacts and benefits of charging would not be felt equally across the sector and therefore will not introduce charges for overseas visitors", the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said.