London ’ s British Museum remains the most popular tourist destination in the UK , welcoming nearly seven million visitors last year as the country ’ s tourism boom continued . The museum in Bloomsbury was tops out of more than 2,200 tourist sites represented by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions ( Alva ) . Alva members saw a 6.5 per cent increase in visits in 2014 compared with 2013 , thanks in part to Great War centenary commemorations , including the celebrated poppy display at the Tower of London , and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow . An estimated five million people viewed the display of 888,246 ceramic poppies at the Tower of London . The British Museum held on to its status as the UK 's most popular attraction with nearly 6.7 million visits . Scottish attractions reported an increase of nearly 10 per cent , while the number of visitors to London sites increased by seven per cent . Attractions in Northern Ireland reported a five per cent increase , while sites in Wales had an overall rise of just under six per cent . One of the most popular attractions in London proved to be the Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red installation at the Tower of London . Its moat was filled with 888,246 ceramic poppies – representing the number of British and Commonwealth casualties in World War I – drawing an estimated five million people who viewed the display from outside the walls . They contributed to a six per cent rise , to a little over three million , in annual visitors inside the Tower of London compared with 2013 . The Library of Birmingham was the 10th most popular attraction in Britain , with 2.4 million visits in 2014 . Visits to the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth , London , which hosted new World War I galleries , soared 153 per cent to 914,774 . Outside the capital , there was a 50.9 per cent increase , to 340,929 , in visits to the National Trust ’ s Dunham Massey in Cheshire , which recreated its Great War role as a military hospital . In Scotland , the Commonwealth Games contributed to a four per cent increase , to more than 1.48 million , in visits to Edinburgh Castle , making it the most popular admission-paying attraction outside London . Glasgow 's Riverside Museum had a 41.8 per cent rise in visitors , while the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh welcomed 39 per cent more compared with 2013 . The British Museum held on to its status as the UK 's most popular attraction with nearly 6.7 million visits , followed by the National Gallery in London , which was visited by nearly 6.42 million people , an increase of 6.4 per cent . Figures for London 's Southbank Centre have been included for the first time in the Alva table , with the complex welcoming more than 6.25 million visitors , securing it third place in the overall list . The Library of Birmingham ranked 10th , with 2.4 million visitors . Edinburgh Castle , the most popular paid attraction outside London , benefited from the Commonwealth Games . The National Trust ’ s Dunham Massey in Cheshire recreated its Great War role as a military hospital . Museums and galleries enjoyed a 6.09 per cent increase last year , while the new visitor centre at Stonehenge helped the Wiltshire monument to an 8.4 per cent rise to more than 1.34 million visits . Alva director Bernard Donoghue said : ‘ I am delighted that our members ' figures are going from strength to strength . ‘ Looking forward to our 2015 figures , we are confident that they will rise again with the anticipated increase in overseas visitors this year . ’
British Museum ranked first by Association of Leading Visitor Attractions . Alva 's 2,200 members saw a 6.5 per cent increase in visits in 2014 . Great War centenary commemorations contributed to the overall increase . An estimated five million people visited Tower of Birmingham 's poppy display . Edinburgh Castle is the most popular paid attraction outside Birmingham . The Library of London ranked 10th overall , with 2.4 million visitors .