Museums and Exhibitions Week 6

18,000-20,000 museums in U.S. today 3/4s of world’s museums created since 1945 From “being about something to being for somebody”

Since WWII, in U.S. huge increase in #s of museums: – Growing audience (baby boom, increase in college education) – New sources of funding: 1960s creation of NEA and NEH Private foundations Growth in local arts councils – Increased professionalization of museum staff – “new” social history – new kinds of stories

Decline in government (federal) funding for museums: – 2008 study by IMLS – most museums receive 7%- 24% of funding from govt sources Support mostly for projects (e.g., exhibitions) Only 4% from NEA and 8% from NEH (nearly half through Congressional earmarks) – 2006, NEA distributed $12.3 million to museums

Sources of Support for All Museums in Sample, by Type, FY 2006 Source of SupportPrivate Earned Investment Government Art Museums 23.3% 46.1% 17.5% 13.1% Children’s Museums 24.4% 48.1% 20.5% 6.9% History Museums 32.9% 21.6% 13.2% 33.2% Natural History and Natural Science 29.5% 41.6% 5.7% 23.6% Science and Technology Museums 22.8% 42.8% 4.0% 30.4% Historical Societies 32.2% 21.5% 24.7% 21.6% Arboretums and Botanical Gardens 34.1% 28.9% 13.7% 23.3% Zoos, Aquariums and Zoological Societies 17.4% 60.3% 4.2% 18.1% Hybrid and Other 27.2% 38.5% 9.6% 27.5% Overall 24.4% 43.7% 12.2% 19.7% Source: Urban Institute analysis, IMLS Museum Public Finance Survey, 2008.

Median Operating Income by Source and Type of Institution, FY 2006 Source of Support Private Earned Investment Government Art Museums $429,775 $190,393 $56,250 $144,802 Children’s Museums $357,550 $490,345 $600 $50,000 History Museums $46,187 $26,120 $695 $32,182 Natural History and Natural Science Museums $11 0,309 $408,321 $4,500 $86,465 Science and Technology Museums $350,000 $898,911 $12,602 $289,970 Historical Societies $32,727 $23,000 $3,023 $7,751 Arboretums and Botanical Gardens $251,355 $253,226 $14,128 $130,000 Zoos, Aquariums and Zoological Societies $437,706 $2,686,310 $15,277 $911,480 Hybrid and Other $59,171 $48,267 $1,000 $36,737

Inward to outward focus “story rich but artifact poor” institutions growing influence of museum educators (and declining role of curators) Concerns regarding relevance – What impact can a museum claim? – How can that impact be measured or demonstrated? – Who benefits from museums’ efforts to have impact on communities?

No Child Left Behind Decline in museum field trips BUT teachers relying heavily on museums to enhance their own learning (via actual and virtual visits)

Exhibitions influenced by Mission Funding Resources – staff; collections; research Audience – actual and desired