Revenues generated by the Book of Kells exhibition at Dublin's Trinity College decreased by 77% last year.
As reported by The Irish Examiner, a spokesperson for Trinity College said that revenues generated by the Book of Kells exhibition amounted to €2.9 million last year, which was a €9.8 million, or 77%, decrease from the €12.7 million that the exhibition generated in revenues the previous year.
Number Of Visitors
The decrease in revenues was the result of a significant decrease in the number of people who visited the Book of Kells last year.
The number of people who visited the Book of Kells decreased by more than 70% to 296,058 during the twelve month period that ended on September 30, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Book of Kells exhibition closed on March 10, 2020, due to the pandemic before reopening on a limited basis on August 10 and subsequently closing again on September 19.
At the time of the exhibition's closure on March 10, 2020, 291,280 people had visited it during the year to that date.
Just 4,778 people visited the exhibition between August 10 and September 19 of last year due to a combination of a restricted reopening and a lack of overseas visitors.
Trinity College Spokesperson Statement
The Irish Examiner quotes the aforementioned Trinity College spokesperson as saying, "While the drop in income at the Book of Kells exhibition in 2020 was an inevitable result of the limited opening days possible over the year, we are very much looking forward to its expected reopening next month along with all the museums and galleries, albeit on a restricted basis."
Library Shop Revenues
Revenues at Trinity College's Library shop were also adversely impacted by the decrease in the number of people that visited the Book of Kells last year. The shop's revenues decreased by €4 million, or 77%, meaning that Trinity College lost close to €14 million in revenues due to the decrease in the number of people that visited the Book of Kells last year.
New Visitor Centre And Urgent Protection Works
Trinity College was granted planning permission last year for a new Book of Kells exhibition visitor centre and urgent works to protect the manuscript and the college's research collection.
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