Tate Modern Swells Crowds at London Museums

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Byline: ROBIN STRINGER

THE blockbusting arrival of Tate Modern on Bankside has helped visitor figures to London's national museums and galleries shoot up 20 per cent during the last financial year.

Culture Secretary Chris Smith is optimistic that the trend will continue.

"Following the recent Budget announcement on scrapping admission charges, I look forward to even better visitor numbers next year," he says.

Assuming that he achieves free admission to all the national museums and galleries - those that get Government subsidy - by the end of the year, then he may be right. And there are other reasons for optimism too.

Despite the recent …