South Shields Museum sees visitor boost thanks to world-renowned artwork
South Shields Museum & Art Gallery has experienced a significant uplift in visitors.
The South Shields Museum & Art Gallery, on Ocean Road, in South Shields, has revealed that its visitor numbers are up by 31% in the first month of its Monet exhibition.
Monet: In the Presence of Nature showcases Claude Monet’s masterpiece painting, The Petit Bras of the Seine at Argenteuil (1872), which is on loan from London’s National Gallery.
Visitors to the gallery have been getting the rare opportunity to experience the world-renowned artist’s work as part of the National Gallery Masterpiece Tour.
The museum has confirmed that the exhibition has attracted 7,706 visitors so far, marking an increase of 31% on the same period in 2025.
Donations to the museum have also increased by 264% while retail sales have also seen a boost of 72%.
Speaking about the success of the exhibition so far, Keith Merrin, Director of North East Museums, said: “The response from our visitors has been brilliant.
“It’s inspiring to see so many people engage with the Monet artwork.
“This level of enthusiasm reinforces the importance of bringing world-class art to our region and making it accessible to all.”
The South Shields Museum & Art Gallery has been selected as one of just four partners to host the nationwide tour, which is a three-year transformative opportunity to bring world-class art to the North East.
The Monet painting is proudly on display alongside an exhibition of landscapes by other artists taken from the South Shields, Laing and Shipley art gallery collections.
Artwork from local young people is also on show as part of the exhibition.
Dr Gabriele Finaldi, Director of The National Gallery, commented: “The National Gallery’s collection belongs to all of us. It is part of our duty and our honour to look after these paintings and to bring them to where people are, not just expect them to come to us.
“Partnering on touring exhibitions does so much more than bring beloved paintings from the collection to other places in the UK - it supports the whole country's cultural ecosystem, connects people with paintings that belong to us all, and allows us to learn and expand our own practices and interpretations through the creativity of our partner organisations and their communities.
“That over one million people have visited these exhibitions in the last decade proves the desire to engage with our collection is growing, and we look forward to welcoming the next million visitors across the UK.”
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Monet: In the Presence of Nature is on display at South Shields Museum & Art Gallery until Wednesday, March 25.
Entry to the museum is free but visitors are encouraged to donate.
South Shields Museum & Art Gallery is open Monday to Friday from 10am until 5pm and 11am until 4pm on Saturdays. The venue is closed on Sundays.
You can find out more about the exhibition by visiting: https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/southshieldsmuseum/whats-on/monet-in-the-presence-of-nature.
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