Museum Attendance Down Slightly In 2010
CHICAGO (CBS) -- More than 14.4 million people visited Chicago's museums and zoos in 2010, a 3 percent dip from 2009.
Gary T. Johnson, president of the Chicago History Museum and the Museums Work for Chicago group, said in a news release the decline was partially due to the big year the Art Institute of Chicago had in 2009, when its Modern Wing opened.
He also attributed it to "normal ebbs and flows" due to weather, the economy, and exhibits opening and closing.
The Art Institute continued to lead local museums in the number of visitors with 1.6 million in 2010. In 2009, the museum saw more than 1.8 million.
The weak economy also continues to play a role, Johnson said.
"All of our free day attendance is going up," he said.
Animals continued to be a big draw. Lincoln Park Zoo, which is free, saw an estimated 3 million visitors in 2010. They were followed by the Brookfield Zoo at 2.3 million and the John G. Shedd Aquarium at 2 million.
Other museums exceeding the million-visitor mark were The Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry. Continuing its rise toward 1 million visitors is the Chicago Botanic Garden, which hosted more than 900,000 in 2010. Admission to the garden is free, though parking fees are charged.
"Every year they have a new installation and people just love it," he said.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
