Terracotta Army wins the battle for visitors

Just under 5.5 million people visited the museum last year - 12 per cent more than 2006 - figures show today.

Museum chiefs said today that numbers had been boosted by The First Emperor: China's Terracotta Army, which opened in September.

It has been the museum's most popular show since it displayed the treasures of Tutankhamun in 1972. By the time the exhibition ends in April it is estimated that 650,000 people will have seen it.

A spokeswoman said: "The increase in visitor numbers is a great achievement and due in part to the terracotta warriors effect. We are delighted that more visitors than ever are keen to experience this unique world collection."

London's second most popular draw, according to the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, was Tate Modern. It attracted almost 5.2 million visitors - six per cent less than in 2006, but still enough to keep it above the National Gallery, visited by less than 4.2 million people.

Other big attractions in the capital were the Natural History Museum, visited by 3.6 million, and the Science Museum, which saw an 11 per cent increase in visitor numbers to just over 2.7 million.

The Science Museum attributed much of this success to Launchpad, an interactive gallery for children including demonstrations of freezing, magnetism and friction. A Science Museum spokesman said: "We try to bring things to life so you can have a good day out and learn something too."

London Zoo also had an excellent year - visitor numbers increased by 25 per cent to more than 1.1 million, partly due to the popular new Gorilla Kingdom exhibit.

Although London sights dominate today's national league table, the very top of the list remains Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which pipped the British Museum by some 80,000 visitors.

Experts said that last summer's wet weather was the reason so many museums and galleries enjoyed record success.

Elliott Frisby of VisitBritain said: "These figures prove London is an excellent destination with attractions and exhibitions for all budgets and ages."

TOP 20 LONDON ATTRACTIONS

1: British Museum
2: Tate Modern
3: National Gallery
4: Natural History Museum
5: Science Museum
6: Victoria and Albert Museum
7: Tower of London
8: National Maritime Museum
9: St Paul's Cathedral
10: National Portrait Gallery
11: Tate Britain
12: Kew Gardens
13: British Library
14: London Zoo
15: Westminster Abbey
16: Houses of Parliament
17: Imperial War Museum
18: Hampton Court Palace
19: V&A Museum of Childhood
20: Churchill Museum & Cabinet War Rooms