Britain’s major museums and galleries earned the country £1 billion in revenue from overseas tourists last year, a survey by VisitBritain said.

VisitBritain said of 30 million visits made to the UK by overseas residents last year, 7.7 million included a trip to a museum and 4.2 million to an art gallery.

The French made the most visits to museums in 2009, while the Americans were the most frequent visitors to art galleries.

Museums and galleries were also popular with German and Spanish tourists, while nearly two-thirds of trips by Brazilians and Argentinians last year included a museum visit.

The most popular time for museum and gallery visits last year was from July to September.

As many as 42 per cent of the overseas visitors who stayed in Britain for 15 nights or more last year spent time at museums.

The British Museum had just under 5.57 million visitors last year – a 6.1 per cent dip on the 2008 total.

But visits to the National Gallery rose nine per cent to 4.78 million and although Tate Modern visits fell two per cent to 4.74 million, Natural History Museum visits were up almost 10 per cent last year at 4.10 million.

VisitBritain chief executive officer Sandie Dawe said: “This survey showcases the international appeal of Britain’s culture and heritage.

“We are fortunate in the authenticity of what we have to promote and the connections that our rich culture makes across the world. Tourism is the golden thread running through the cultural sector, delivering the economic benefits of our world-class culture and ensuring that these great works and museums continue to be appreciated.”