Last updated: 5 November 2024.
Highlights
This subchapter on culture is 1 of 9 thematic subchapters that provide a comprehensive glossary of variable definitions used within city statistics. The glossary is designed to ensure a clear understanding and interpretation of data disseminated by Eurostat, thereby improving the clarity of data requirements for the providers of these statistics in national statistical offices, while supporting the standardisation of statistical concepts across Europe.
This subchapter forms part of Eurostat’s City statistics manual.
Culture
A cinema, also known as a movie house, movie theatre, film theatre, film house or picture theatre, is a venue, typically a building, where motion pictures (movies or films) are shown. It’s defined as a commercial establishment that serves the general public, who attend by purchasing a ticket.
- The number of cinema seats (CR1003V) refers to the total seating capacity across all of the cinemas within a city.
- Cinema attendance (CR1005V) refers to the total number of tickets sold for all films screened throughout the year within a city.
Museums can be either public or private institutions. A museum is defined by the International Council of Museums (2022) as ‘a not-for-profit, permanent institution in the service of society that researches, collects, conserves, interprets and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. Open to the public, accessible and inclusive, museums foster diversity and sustainability. They operate and communicate ethically, professionally and with the participation of communities, offering varied experiences for education, enjoyment, reflection and knowledge sharing’.
- The number of museum visitors (CR1007V) is a count of the total number of tickets sold for all museum visits throughout the year within a city.
Theatres are public or private venues (excluding street theatres, school theatres, and so on); multi-purpose venues are also included.
- The number of theatres (CR1008V) is a count of the total number of locations within a city, not the number of individual halls or stages within a single theatre (for example, a theatre may have separate stages for music, opera, plays, intimate performances, and so on).
The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions defines the number of public libraries (all distribution points) (CR1010V) as a count of the independent access points for library services, even if multiple libraries are housed in the same building. For this purpose, libraries are defined as publicly accessible, general libraries that support learning, cultural engagement and information access for all; membership in an association or student status isn’t required and specialised or subject-related research libraries are excluded.
The number of public swimming pools (indoor and outdoor) (CR1015V) is a count of the number of swimming pools that are accessible to the general public; excluded are swimming pools that are exclusively for a small group (such as in a health club, fitness centre, private club), and those for relaxation in hotels and spas. Public swimming pools are often part of larger leisure centres or recreational complexes, and even if such centres have multiple pools, they should be counted as a single public swimming pool. Seasonal pools are included if they are open for at least 6 months during the year.
Legislation in force and other documents
Source data for tables and graphs
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Database
- City statistics (urb), see:
- Cities and greater cities (urb_cgc)
- Functional urban areas (urb_luz)
- Perception survey results (urb_percep)