The Box Shatters Records with 1.1 Million Visitors and Art Buzz!

The Box, a museum and art gallery in Plymouth, Devon, has had an outstanding year, breaking its own records for visitor numbers. Since opening its doors to the public in September 2020, The Box has become a popular destination for both locals and tourists. In 2025, the museum celebrated a major milestone by welcoming its 1. 1 millionth visitor. During the 2025 to 2026 season, The Box recorded 356,000 visits, which was 18% higher than its annual target of 300,000 and a remarkable 44% increase compared to the previous year. The museum is owned by Plymouth City Council, and its leaders are thrilled with the results.

One of the main attractions this year has been the Beryl Cook Pride and Joy exhibition, which opened on January 24. Beryl Cook was a well-known artist from Plymouth, and her work has drawn a lot of attention. In just nine weeks, the exhibition has already attracted 52,000 visitors, with nine more weeks still to go. Interestingly, 45% of these visitors traveled from other parts of the country, showing that The Box is having a big impact on Plymouth’s tourism and economy. Victoria Pomery, the CEO of The Box, described the visitor numbers as extraordinary and said the whole team was incredibly proud of what they had achieved. She also mentioned that many people were visiting The Box for the first time and hoped this would be the start of a long relationship with the museum.

The Box has also hosted the Journeys with Mai exhibition, which tells the story of Mai, the first Pacific islander to visit Britain. This exhibition features a portrait of Mai by Plympton artist Sir Joshua Reynolds and has welcomed around 25,000 visitors. The Box is free to enter, making it accessible to everyone. Amanda Lumley, CEO of Destination Plymouth, said the Beryl Cook exhibition had given a real boost to the local hospitality, retail, and tourism industries. She believes that The Box is helping to make Plymouth a place people want to visit and return to. With its growing reputation and impressive visitor numbers, The Box is looking forward to an even brighter future as a cultural hub for the city and beyond.