ROM breaks its own attendance record

Toronto's Royal Ontario Museum set a new attendance record last year, with 1.35 million visitors for the fiscal year ending March 31.

"These are the highest attendance figures in the museum's history and represent a 23 per cent increase in visitors over last year, " said ROM director and CEO Josh Basseches.

A top drawin 2016 was theCHIHULYexhibit, featuring the glass works of artistDale Chihuly. This exhibit drew 313,721 visitors and was extended due to popular demand.

Also popular was the Tattoos: Ritual. Identity. Obsession. Art exhibit, which attracted 116,754 visitors.

School visits were also up at the ROM in 2016, with 19 per cent more students than the previous year.

The ROM hopes to see strong attendance numbers in 2017 with its Out of the Depths: The Blue Whale Story exhibit.

"We are on our way to another robust year," saidBasseches.