HOW MUCH DID THE FESTIVAL OF BRITAIN COST AND WHAT WERE THE OPENING TIMES?
Note: the total paid admissions to the six main exhibitions* were approximately 10,250,000 according to the HMSO report presented by the Minister of Works to Parliament by Command of Her Majesty in July 1953; the actual revenue was:
South Bank: £2,006,562; other Exhibitions: £167,086; Guide Books and Catalogues: £352,000; Book Exhibitions: £5,631; Pageant of Wales: £4,293; Gathering of the Clans: £15,530 plus Miscellaneous receipts: £12,097; grand total: £2,563,199
* Six main exhibitions under the control of the Festival Office: South Bank, Science, Industrial Power, Architecture etc, Land Travelling and Sea Travelling Exhibitions; the Ulster Farm & Factory Exhibition was funded seperately by the Government of Northern Ireland. The three Book Exhibitions were organised by the National Book League; the Council of Industrial Design was responsible for the 'Living Traditions' Exhibition, Edinburgh, as well as the selection of industrial exhibits for exhibitions..
The Official Book of the Festival of Britain - 1951: 2s 6d
BELFAST
ULSTER FARM & FACTORY EXHIBITION, CASTLEREAGH (1.6.51 to 31.8.51) 156,760 visitors
Weekdays only 10.00 am - 10.00 pm 2s; children under 15, 1s.
Guide - Catalogue price: 9d
See also the Sea Travelling Exhibition
BIRKENHEAD
See the Sea Travelling Exhibition
BIRMINGHAM
See Land Travelling Exhibition
BRISTOL
See the Sea Travelling Exhibition
CARDIFF
See the Sea Travelling Exhibition
DUNDEE
See the Sea Travelling Exhibition
EDINBURGH
* EXHIBITION OF 18TH CENTURY BOOKS, SIGNET LIBRARY (3.8.51 TO 15.9.51)
Weekdays only 10.00am to 8.00pm 1s; children under 15, 6d (children under 5 not admitted)
* Guide: ?s = I am still looking for a copy 'to beg, steal or borrow' ; can you please contact me if you have one?
"LIVING TRADITIONS" EXHIBITION, ROYAL SCOTTISH MUSEUM (25.6.51 TO 8.9.51) 135,000 visitors
10.00am to 10.00pm 1s; children under 15, 6d.
Guide: 2s
GLASGOW
'KH' : EXHIBITION OF INDUSTRIAL POWER (28.5.51 to 18.8.51) 282,039 visitors
Weekdays only 10.00am to 10.00pm
by advance ticket: 3s
at turnstile: 2s 6d
Children under 15 half price
Guide - Catalogue price : 2s
EXHIBITION OF MODERN SCOTTISH BOOKS, MITCHELL LIBRARY (1.6.51 to 28.7.51)
Open all days, 9.30 am to 9.00pm, admission free (children under 5 not admitted)
Guide: 2s 6d
See also the Sea Travelling Exhibition
HULL
See the Sea Travelling Exhibition
LEEDS
See Land Travelling Exhibition
LONDON
'SB' : SOUTH BANK EXHIBITION (4.5.51 to 30.9.51) 8,455,863 visitors
by advance ticket:
Opening day (4.5.51)
10s 2.30pm - 11.30pm
Tuesdays
only
10s 10.30 am- 11.30pm
All other
days*
5s 10.30 am- 11.30pm (*Sundays: 12.30pm -11pm)
Children under 15 half price.
at turnstiles:
Opening day (4.5.51) no
admission
Tuesdays
only
4s (admission after 4pm) 4pm - 11.30pm
All other
days*
4s (admission after 3pm) 3pm- 11.30pm (*Sundays: 3pm
- 11.00pm)
Children under 15 half price.
Guide price 2s 6d / Catalogue of Exhibits price 10s
FESTIVAL PLEASURE GARDENS, BATTERSEA (4.6.51 to 3.11.51) 8,031,000 visitors
by advance ticket:
Opening day (3.5.51) 2s
6d 1.30pm - 11.30pm
All
weekdays
2s 6d 10.30am - 11.30pm
Sundays*
no advance booking
* fun fair area closed!
at turnstiles:
Opening day (3.5.51)
2s 1.30pm - 11.30pm
All
weekdays
2s 10.30am - 11.30pm
Sundays*
1s 12.30pm - 10.30pm
* fun fair area closed!
Children under 15 half price.
Guide: 1s 6d
'ES' : EXHIBITION OF SCIENCE, SOUTH KENSINGTON: 4.5.51 to 30.9.51 213,744 visitors
Opening Day, 4.5.51 at turnstiles: 4s
5.30pm - 10pm
Tuesdays
at turnstiles: 4s 10am - 10pm
Saturdays
at turnstiles: 2s 10am - 10pm
All other
days* at
turnstiles: 2s 12 noon - 10pm (*Sundays 2-10pm)
Children under 15 half price.
Guide - Catalogue price 2s
'P': EXHIBITION OF ARCHITECTURE, LANSBURY (POPLAR): 3.5.51 to 30.9.51 86,646 visitors
Opening
Day at turnstiles 1/6d
2pm-8pm
All other days* at turnstiles 1/6d 10.30am-8pm
(*Sundays 12.30pm-8pm)
Children under 15, 9d children under 5 not admitted.
Guide - Catalogue price 2s
EXHIBITION OF BOOKS, V. & A. MUSEUM, SOUTH KENSINGTON: 5.5.51 to 30.9.51 63,162 visitors
All days* at turnstiles: 1s 10am-6pm (*Sundays 2.30pm-6pm)
Children under 15, 6d children under 5 not admitted.
Annotated Catalogue & Guide: 1s 6d
1851 CENTENARY EXHIBITION, V. & A. MUSEUM, SOUTH KENSINGTON: 1.5.51 to 11.10.51
All days * at turnstiles: 1s 10am - 6pm , children under 12, 6d (*Sundays 2.30pm - 6pm)
Commemorative Album: 6s
MANCHESTER
See Land Travelling Exhibition
NEWCASTLE
See the Sea Travelling Exhibition
NOTTINGHAM
See Land Travelling Exhibition
PLYMOUTH
See the Sea Travelling Exhibition
SOUTHAMPTON
See the Sea Travelling Exhibition
The Travelling Exhibitions by Land and Sea
'LT': LAND TRAVELLING EXHIBITION : 2s at entrance, children 5 to 15 1s; Mondays to Fridays 11.00am* to 11.00pm, Saturdays 10.30am to 11.00pm, Sundays 2.30pm to 11.00pm (* except Birmingham: Mondays to Saturdays 10.30am to 11.00pm): 462,289 visitors
Guide - Catalogue: 2s
Manchester (5.5.51 to 26.5.51) at the City Hall, Deansgate
Leeds (23.6.51 to 14.7.51) at Woodhouse Moor (tented structure) Leeds was the highest attendance of the four sites.
Birmingham (4.8.51 to 25.8.51) at Bingley Hall, King Alfred's Place
Nottingham (15.9.51 to 6.10.51) at Broadmarsh (tented structure)
'MX' : "FESTIVAL SHIP CAMPANIA" (SEA) : 2s at entrance, children 5 to 15 1s; Mondays to Fridays 11.00am* to 10.00pm, Saturdays 10.30am to 10.00pm (* except Cardiff: 10.30am to 10.00pm) Note there was NO Sunday opening of the "FSS Campania"! (Below at Newcastle-upon-Tyne.) 889,792 visitors
Guide - Catalogue: 2s
Southampton, New Docks (4.5.51 to 14.5.51)
Dundee, King George V Dock (18.5.51 to 26.5.51)
Newcastle, Wharf 25/26 (30.5.51 to 16.6.51) Newcastle-on-Tyne had the highest attendance of the ten ports visited.
Hull, King George Dock (20.6.51 to 30.6.51)
Plymouth, Milbay W. Wharf (5.7.51 to 14.7.51)
Bristol, Avonmouth Dock (18.7.51 to 28.7.51)
Cardiff , No. 3 Queen Alexandra Dock (31.7.51 to 11.8.51)
Belfast, Pollock Dock (15.8.51 to 1.9.51)
Birkenhead, Bidston Dock (5.9.00 to 14.9.51)
Glasgow, Springfield Dock (18.9.51 to 6.10.51)