Ministers consider charging tourists to enter national museums in England

A couple view the Parthenon marbles at the British Museum, London. National collections at museums and galleries in the UK have been free for all visitors since 2001. Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian

Ministers are considering charging international tourists to access permanent collections at national museums as part of an initiative to improve arts funding.

The government said there was a need for long-term options to fund the struggling arts sector in its response to a review of Arts Council England, which distributes public funding to the arts. Among the options cited was a hotel levy, a policy being consulted on.