The Ulster Museum is celebrating after experiencing its busiest month on record. During June, the museum welcomed almost 74,000 visitors - the highest monthly footfall since refurbishment.

The increase in visitors is attributed to the blockbuster ‘Age of the Dinosaur’ and ‘Ten Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci’ — exhibitions currently on display throughout the summer.

The Ulster Museum’s Head of Operations, Les McLean, is delighted by the achievement.

“It has been most encouraging to welcome a record number of visitors to the Ulster Museum last month. Currently on show is the blockbuster Age of the Dinosaur exhibition as well as the must-see Ten Drawings by Leonardo Da Vinci exhibition.

“We are delighted to be welcoming local and international visitors to the museum and will be open seven days a week throughout the summer to facilitate demand,” he added.

Almost 55,000 people have visited the Age of the Dinosaur exhibition since it opened on the 18 May this year. The exhibition, on loan from the Natural History Museum in London, is the largest and most interactive dinosaur exhibition ever to come to Northern Ireland.  It includes seven full-scale animatronic dinosaurs as well as an extensive Discover Dinosaurs Zone.

Tim Cooke is the Director & Chief Executive of National Museums Northern Ireland.

“It’s great to see so many people from across Northern Ireland and beyond so excited by our public programming.  It’s been very encouraging to welcome new audiences as well as to see the positive reaction of those who are familiar with the Ulster Museum,” he said.

Both the Age of the Dinosaur and Ten Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci exhibitions are accompanied by a series of events including workshops, tours and lectures.

Since reopening at the end of October 2009 there have been almost 1.5 million visitors to the Ulster Museum.

The Ulster Museum has encouraged those who haven’t yet visited the ‘Age of the Dinosaur’ and Leonardo da Vinci exhibitions to drop along before summer’s end­.