Volume Provides the Most Comprehensive Study of the State of U.S. Museums
Washington, DC, 9/2/2009 -

The AAM Press, the publishing arm of the American Association of Museums (AAM), has released Museum Financial Information 2009, the most timely and comprehensive research on the state of U.S. museums. Researched, compiled and published by AAM every three years, this volume is based on a representative sample of American museums of all types and sizes, from the largest art museums and zoos to the smallest historic homes, from natural history institutions and science centers to children’s museums and public gardens.

 

Museums find this survey to be an invaluable benchmarking tool, enabling leadership to gauge how its institution stacks up against other museums across the country. But this work has also proven useful to research organizations, universities, economists, elected officials and public-policy-makers, the funding community and the media. With statistical analysis segmented by museum discipline and budget size, among others, it has also proven valuable to strategic planners and forecasters both in and out of the nonprofit realm.

 

“This publication represents the latest in the body of research that AAM has produced over its 100-plus years, all designed to help museums in meeting their commitment to public service,” said AAM president Ford W. Bell. “This is an essential tool in a museum’s strategic and financial planning, helping to ensure sustainability over the long term.”

 

The survey data reveal a picture of America’s estimated 17,500 museums that many may find surprising. For example:

 

• There are more museums in the U.S. than there are McDonald’s restaurants or Starbuck’s cafes;
• Collectively, America’s museums employ nearly 500,000 people;
• Americans volunteer nearly one million hours a week of their time to museums;
• Museums contributed approximately $20.7 billion to the American economy in 2008;
• In 2008, the typical U.S. museum charged an admission fee of $7 (less than a movie ticket), and 41% of American museums are free;
• Museums hosted more than 55 million student visits during the 2007-08 school year, and 78% of American museums boast a dedicated education budget;
• AAM estimates that museums make an annual direct contribution to American education equivalent to $2.2 billion;
• And based on AAM estimates, American museums receive more than 850 million visits a year, more than all professional sporting events and theme parks combined.

 

First published in 1989, Museum Financial Information contains 10-year trends that assist museums in long-term forecasting. Museum professionals across the country rely on its data.

 

“Museum Financial Information 2009 is absolutely the best tool available for museum leaders when they attempt to evaluate the progress of their institutions and set benchmarks for performance,” said James C. McNutt, president and CEO of the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, Wyoming.  “Trustees frequently wonder how museums compare with one another—all the data is right here for them and for everyone who cares about the health of America’s museums.”

 

Museum Financial Information 2009 is based on a survey of museums conducted by AAM between November 2008 and January 2009. The results draw upon a national sample of 671 museums, from which the AAM staff extrapolated national estimates using a conservative methodology. Philip M. Katz, AAM’s assistant director for research, and Elizabeth E. Merritt, the founding director of the Center for the Future of Museums, served as editors of this work.

 

Museum Financial Information 2009 sells for $44.95 for AAM members and $74.95 for non-members. For details on ordering this or the many other publications from The AAM Press, visit the website at www.aam-us.org.

 

About AAM

The American Association of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. With more than 15,000 individual, 3,000 institutional and 300 corporate members, AAM is dedicated to ensuring that museums remain a vital part of the American landscape, connecting people with the greatest achievements of the human experience, past, present and future. For more information, visit www.aam-us.org.

 

 

Press Contact:
Dewey Blanton
202-218-7704
dblanton@aam-us.org

Return to Press Releases

Return to the Press Room