Almost 200,000 people visited museums and galleries last weekend to help celebrate this year’s Museums at Night festival.

Run by Culture24 and funded by Arts Council England, the festival is being used to help museums and galleries attract and introduce new audiences to some of the UK’s cultural attractions.

This year’s festival saw over 500 museums celebrate 700 different events put on over the weekend beginning on 15 May.

One event saw iconic photographer Rankin turn his lens on the allotment holders at St Ann’s Allotments in Nottingham, where he shot, printed and exhibited his works all in one day.

Other events included the English National Ballet performing Russell Maliphant’s Second Breath at the Imperial War Museum North, while left-field musicians Public Service Broadcasting played a live set at the RAF Museum in Hendon.

“Museums at Night enabled people up and down the country to explore and engage with the many wonderful museums on offer in a different light,” said John Orna Ornstein, director of museums at Arts Council England.

“We saw a record number of votes for this year's Connect10 competition and are particularly delighted to have had such positive feedback from those who attended these unique artist-led events.”

The Museums at Night festival is now into its sixth year, with its organisers Culture24 serving as a non-profit cultural publishing organisation acting to help arts and heritage venues to reach audiences across digital platforms.