The V&A - the UK's top location for love and romance. © V&A

The UK’s museums and galleries are hotbeds of love and romance according to a new 24 Hour Museum survey for Museums and Galleries Month 2006.

The survey reveals how museums and galleries hold a special place in the heart of the nation and contribute to the love lives and dating opportunities of a significant proportion of the population.

According to results revealed on May 5 2006, an overwhelming majority of people said they would take someone on a date to a museum or gallery – 65% saying they would make an impression with a museum or gallery visit. The next most impressive date was the pub, at 14%, followed by the cinema at 11%.

An impressive 20% of respondents said they had actually fallen in love in a museum, with London’s Victoria and Albert Museum topping the list of most romantic destinations. Manchester Art Gallery, Tate St Ives, National Portrait Gallery and the Tower of London were also voted into the top five most romantic museums in the UK.

Manchester Art Gallery - a place for love and romance? © Manchester Art Gallery

“I am delighted that this survey confirms how much visitors enjoy the special romantic atmosphere of galleries and museums,” said Virginia Tandy, Director of Manchester Art Gallery and Co-Chair of Museums and Galleries Month 2006.

“It’s wonderful that Manchester Art Gallery has been voted one of the top five most romantic museums and galleries in the country,” she added. “Our popularity as a venue for wedding receptions certainly demonstrates our credentials as a place for love and romance.”

Ms Tandy’s comments were born out by almost 39% of respondents who said they preferred to visit a museum or gallery with a partner, husband or wife whilst 20% confessed to preferring a solitary visit.

The latter is perhaps explained by the one in ten chance of being being flirted with, as 10% of people also confessed to having chatted someone up whilst on a museum or gallery visit.

A conservator repairs a damaged vase at the Fitzwilliam Museum - the survey found that 7% of people had knocked something over in a museum. © Fitzwilliam Museum

A recent incident at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, where a man recently tripped and knocked over a couple of valuable vases, was also shown to be far from an isolated occurrence. An astonishing 7% of respondents confessed to having knocked something over.

However a more encouraging statistic also showed how museums are a source of inspiration, with a remarkable 24% saying they had made a life changing decision whilst on a visit.

Commissioned by the campaign for Museums for Museums and Galleries Month, the survey was carried out on the 24 Hour Museum between April 24 and May 2 2006.