Dr Doug Gurr, the director of the Natural History Museum, said the team was “thrilled” to have topped the chart.
“These exceptional results reflect our unwavering focus on delivering a fantastic day out for every visitor, as well as the dedication of our colleagues who work tirelessly to create unforgettable experiences and world-class exhibitions.
“We should all take heart from these figures. Welcoming 7.1 million visitors demonstrates the enormous public appetite to engage with the wonders of the natural world and UK cultural attractions.”
Alva said the total number of visits to its 409 sites was 165 million last year, a 2% increase on the previous year, but below the 170 million visits in 2019, before the Covid pandemic.
Other venues on Alva’s list included Royal Museums Greenwich, the National Museum of Scotland, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Royal Shakespeare Company London, Edinburgh Castle and National Galleries Scotland, which all recorded more than 2m visitors.
Also in the top 20 were the Royal Albert Hall, Westminster Abbey, Barbican Centre, and National Portrait Gallery, which were all visited by more than 1.5m people.