Lisbon, Jan. 9, 2025 (Lusa) - Lisbon's Pavilion of Knowledge - part of Portugal's Living Science Centres network - last year welcomed 312,000 visitors, a record number and an increase of around 15,000 over the previous year, according to a statement issued by the institution on Thursday.

Counting these 312,000, the Pavilion of Knowledge has had a total of 5.7 million visitors since it opened to the public in 1999, in the wake of the Expo 1998 World Fair, during which it hosted displays on the theme of the seas.

Families bought more than 66% of the tickets last year, and in the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve the institution recorded a daily average of 1,367 entries.

According to the news release, residents of Portugal accounted for 89% of visitors in 2024, in line with the figures for previous years; the top three countries from which visitors abroad came were Spain (18% of those from abroad), Brazil (16%) and the UK (15%).

The temporary exhibition 'The Science of Pixar' - which explores the science and technology behind films by this Disney-linked studio, such as Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Inside Out - opened on 11 October last year and "brought a significant weekly increase in visits, with weeks exceeding 8,000 visitors," the statement notes.

It adds that the Pavilion of Knowledge is part of the Living Science Centres Network, which in 2024 attracted more than one million people, including visitors to the centres and "actions to promote school success, Curricular Enrichment Activities (AEC) or outreach initiatives for the general public."

In terms of free tickets, of which there are 20 per day available as part of the Solidarity Ticket Office initiative, almost 2,200 requests for these were received in 2024.

PAL/ARO // ARO.

Lusa