museums
usa
national endowment for the arts
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museums usa
art, history, science,
and other museums
MSB ~'~ - '
SBfTS
museums usa
purposes and functions
programs
attendance, accessibility, admissions
collections and exhibitions
trustees
personnel
facilities
finances
■ national endowment for the arts i^i
7T
Research conducted by the
National Research Center of the Arts, Inc.,
an affiliate of Louis Harris and Associates, Inc.,
under contract to the National Endowment for the Arts
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
National Endowment for the Arts.
Museums USA: art, history, science, and others.
Supt. of Docs: NF2.2:M97/2
1. Museums — United States. I. Title
AM11.N37 1974 069'.0973 74-18239
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents,
U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C. 20402
Price $4.40
Stock Number 036-000-00024
Contents
List of Figures vii
Foreword xiii
Introduction 1
Chapter 1. Museum Characteristics 7
Classification and comparison of museums by four characteristics — type, budget size,
governing authority, region 7
Chapter 2. Purposes and Functions 25
Museum directors' evaluations of purposes and functions of museums 25
Museum directors' selection of priority purposes and functions, compared with their
assessment of the priorities of museum trustees and the public, and with their assessment
of the purposes and functions most successfully satisfied by their museums 30
Chapter 3. Programs 37
Types and frequency of educational and cultural programs offered by museums 37
Increases or decreases in museum educational activities since 1966 41
Staffing of programs 41
Joint programs with colleges and universities 44
Research and publications 44
Chapter 4. Attendance, Accessibility, Admissions 47
Size and composition of museum audiences 47
Amount of time museum facilities are open to the public 52
Admission policies 54
Membership policies 57
Efforts to increase attendance 59
Chapter 5. Collections and Exhibitions 61
Percentage of permanent collection exhibited 61
Special exhibitions 64
Traveling exhibitions 66
Loans of objects to storefront or community-based museums 67
Increases or decreases in the exchange of objects since 1966 69
Rental of objects 70
Chapter 6. Trustees 71
Distribution, size, and composition of museum boards of trustees 71
Reasons for and methods of selection of trustees 76
Length and number of terms served by trustees 77
Frequency of board meetings 77
Working relationship between the board and the director/staff 78
VI
Chapter 7. Personnel 83
Distribution of full-time, part-time, and volunteer personnel by job categories 85
Distribution of full-time, part-time, and volunteer personnel by budget size, museum
type, and governing authority 94
Full-time personnel: characteristics and salary levels 99
Senior personnel: characteristics, work experience, education, and salary levels 102
Directors: characteristics, work experience, education, salary levels, functions and
responsibilities 107
Employee benefits and perquisites 113
Levels of minority employment in professional staff positions 115
Need for additional staff 116
Adequacy of staff training and salaries 118
Museum training programs 118
Chapter 8. Facilities 125
Construction of primary and secondary structures and additions to and renovations of
facilities 125
Ownership of buildings and space 127
Adequacy of exhibition and storage areas 132
Adequacy of and need for other facilities 135
Rental of facilities 138
Chapter 9. Finances 139
Museum finances, FY 1971-72:
Income 141
Operating expenditures 153
Net income 156
Extraordinary expenditures 162
Current fund balances 164
Endowments and other funds 167
Financial status and income needs:
Increases in operating costs and cutbacks in operations since 1966 172
Distribution and adequacy of operating budgets 177
Long-term financial needs 180
Climate control, security, and conservation 182
Outlook 183
Index 187
Appendix: List of the 258 tables appearing in Museums USA: A Survey Report 197
List of Figures
VII
Figure 1 2
Year in Which Museum was Founded (By
Museum Type, Budget Size, Governing
Authority, and Region)
Figure 2 5
Number and Percentage of Museums in
Sample and Universe
Figure 3
Museums by Type
Figure 4
Museums by Budget Size
Figure 5
Museums by Governing Authority
Figure 7
Museum Type by Budget Size
Figure 9
Museum Type by Region
Figure 10
Budget Size by Museum Type
Figure 12
Budget Size by Region
Figure 15
Region by Museum Type
8
10
Figure 6 11
Museums by Region and Population '
12
Figure 8 13
Museum Type by Governing Authority
14
16
Figure 11 17
Budget Size by Governing Authority
18
Figure 13 19
Governing Authority by Museum Type
Figure 14 20
Governing Authority by Budget Size
21
Figure 16 22
Region by Budget Size
Figure 17 23
Region by Governing Authority
Figure 18 27
Purposes Considered Very Important
by Directors (By Museum Type)
Figure 19 28-29
Functions Considered Very Important
by Directors (By Museum Type)
Figure 20 32
Directors' Evaluations of the Two
Purposes and Two Functions Most
Important to Themselves, the Public,
and Trustees, and Most Successfully
Satisfied by the Museum
Figure 21 33
Art Museum Directors' Evaluations
of the Two Purposes and Two
Functions Most Important to Them-
selves, the Public, and Trustees, and
Most Successfully Satisfied by the
Museum
Figure 22 34
History Museum Directors'
Evaluations of the Two Purposes and
Two Functions Most Important to
Themselves, the Public, and Trustees,
and Most Successfully Satisfied by the
Museum
Figure 23 35
Science Museum Directors'
Evaluations of the Two Purposes and
Two Functions Most Important to
Themselves, the Public, and Trustees,
and Most Successfully Satisfied by the
Museum
Figure 24 38-39
Frequency of Educational and
Cultural Activities (By Museum Type
and Budget Size)
VIII
Figure 25 42
Increases or Decreases in Educational
Activities Since 1966, by Museum Type
and Budget Size
Figure 25A 43
Increases or Decreases in Educational
Activities Since 1966, by Governing
Authority
Figure 26 48
Attendance by Museum Type,
FY 1971-72
Figure 27 49
Attendance by Governing Authority,
FY 1971-72
Figure 28 50
Attendance by Budget Size,
FY 1971-72
Figure 29 51
Attendance by Region, FY 1971-72
Figure 30 53
Increases or Decreases in Hours
Open to the Public Since 1966
(By Museum Type, Budget Size, and
Governing Authority)
Figure 31 54
Admission Policies, by Museum
Type and Budget Size
Figure 31A 55
Admission Policies, by Governing
Authority
Figure 32 57
Membership Policies (By Museum
Type, Budget Size, and Governing
Authority)
Figure 33 58
Percentage of Museums that Made
Special Efforts to Attract Certain Groups
(By Museum Type, Budget Size,
Governing Authority, and Region)
Figure 34 62
Percentage of Total Permanent
Collection Exhibited in FY 1971-72
(By Museum Type, Budget Size, and
Governing Authority)
Figure 35 63
Proportion of Total Permanent
Collection Not Exhibited in FY 1971-72
by Reason For Not Being Exhibited
(By Museum Type, Budget Size, and
Governing Authority)
Figure 36 64
Museums that Had Special
Exhibitions in FY 1971-72 (By Museum
Type, Budget Size, and Governing
Authority)
Figure 37 66
Museums that Sent Out Traveling
Exhibitions in FY 1971-72 (By Museum
Type, Budget Size, and Governing
Authority)
Figure 38 67
Museums that Loaned Objects
or Materials to Storefront or
Community-Based Museums in
FY 1971-72 (By Museum Type, Budget
Size, and Governing Authority)
Figure 39 68
Increases or Decreases in Exchange of
Objects Since 1966, by Museum Type
and Budget Size
Figure 39A 69
Increases or Decreases in Exchange
of Objects Since 1966, by Governing
Authority
Figure 40 72
Museums With Board of Trustees or
Equivalent Body (By Museum Type,
Budget Size, Governing Authority, and
Region)
IX
Figure 41 74
Characteristics of Members of
Boards of Trustees (By Museum Type,
Budget Size, and Governing Authority)
Figure 42 76
Reasons Cited by Museum Directors
for Selection of Trustees
Figure 43 78
Length of Time Current Trustees Have
Served on Board
Figure 44 79
Attendance by Directors at Board of
Trustee Meetings (By Museum Type
and Governing Authority)
Figure 45 85
Total Museum Work Force,
FY 1971-72
Figure 46 86
Full-Time, Part-Time, and Volunteer
Personnel by job Category
Figure 47 88
Number and Distribution of Permanent
Full-Time Paid Personnel, by Museum
Type and Budget Size
Figure 47A 89
Number and Distribution of Permanent
Full-Time Paid Personnel, by Governing
Authority
Figure 48 90
Number and Distribution of Part-Time
Paid Personnel, by Museum Type and
Budget Size
Figure 48A 91
Number and Distribution of Part-Time
Paid Personnel, by Governing Authority
Figure 49 92
Number and Distribution of Volunteers,
by Museum Type and Budget Size
Figure 49A 93
Number and Distribution of Volunteers,
by Governing Authority
Figure 50 95
Full-Time, Part-Time, and Volunteer
Personnel by Budget Size
Figure 51 96
Full-Time, Part-Time, and Volunteer
Personnel by Museum Type
Figure 52 97
Classification of Personnel Within
Museum Type
Figure 53 98
Full-Time, Part-Time, and Volunteer
Personnel by Governing Authority
Figure 54 100
Characteristics of Permanent
Full-Time Personnel by job Category
Figure 55 101
Average Annual Salary of Full-Time
Personnel, FY 1971-72, by Museum
Type and Budget Size
Figure 55A 102
Average Annual Salary of Full-Time
Personnel, FY 1971-72, by Governing
Authority
Figure 56 104
Senior Personnel: Years of Experience
in Museum or Related Work and
Years in Current Position, by job
Category
Figure 57 106
Average Annual Salary of Senior
Personnel, FY 1971-72, by Museum
Type and Budget Size
Figure 57A 107
Average Annual Salary of Senior
Personnel, FY 1971-72, by Governing
Authority
Figure 58 108
Characteristics of Directors (By
Museum Type, Budget Size, and
Governing Authority)
Figure 59 109
Directors: Years of Experience
in Museum or Related Work and Years
in Current Position (By Museum Type
and Budget Size)
Figure 60 111
Average Annual Salary of Directors,
FY 1971-72, by Museum Type and
Budget Size
Figure 60A 111
Average Annual Salary of Directors,
FY 1971-72, by Governing Authority
Figure 61 114
Directors' Evaluations of Importance
of Activities and Time Spent on
Activities
Figure 62 120
Job Areas in Which More Staff
is Needed: Curatorial, Display, and
Exhibit (By Museum Type, Budget Size,
and Governing Authority)
Figure 63 121
Job Areas in Which More Staff
is Needed: Education (By Museum
Type, Budget Size, and Governing
Authority)
Figure 64 122
job Areas in Which More Staff
is Needed: Operations and Support
(By Museum Type, Budget Size, and
Governing Authority)
Figure 65 123
Job Areas in Which More Staff
is Needed: Administration (By Museum
Type, Budget Size, and Governing
Authority)
Figure 66
Construction Dates of Primary
Facilities
Figure 67
Construction Dates of Separate
Facilities
126
127
128-31
Figure 68
Adequacy of Exhibition and
Storage Areas (By Museum Type,
Budget Size, and Governing Authority)
Figure 69 136-37
Existence of or Need for Certain
Facilities (By Museum Type, Budget
Size, and Governing Authority)
Figure 70 141
Total Museum Income, FY 1971-72
Figure 71 142
Sources of Private Sector Income,
FY 1971-72
Figure 72
Dollar Income by Museum Type,
FY 1971-72
144
Figure 73 145
Sources of Income by Museum Type,
FY 1971-72
Figure 74
Dollar Income by Budget Size,
FY 1971-72
147
Figure 75 148
Sources of Income by Budget Size,
FY 1971-72
Figure 76 149
Dollar Income by Governing Authority,
FY 1971-72
Figure 77
Sources of Income by Governing
Authority, FY 1971-72
150
XI
Figure 78 152
Dollar Income by Region, FY 1971-72
Figure 79 153
Sources of Income by Region,
FY 1971-72
Figure 80 154
Operating Expenditures by Budget Size,
FY 1971-72
Figure 81 155
Operating Expenditures by Museum
Type, FY 1971-72
Figure 82 156
Operating Expenditures by Governing
Authority, FY 1971-72
Figure 83 '157
Operating Expenditures by Region,
FY 1971-72
Figure 84 158
Summary of FY 1971-72 Income and
Operating Expenditures (By Museum
Type, Budget Size, Governing
Authority, and Region)
Figure 85 159
Net Income Position (Unexpended
Income, Broke Even, Deficit) at End of
FY 1971-72, by Museum Type and
Budget Size
Figure 85A 160
Net Income Position (Unexpended
Income, Broke Even, Deficit) at End of
FY 1971-72, by Governing Authority
Figure 85B 161
Net Income Position (Unexpended
Income, Broke Even, Deficit) at End of
FY 1971-72, by Region
Figure 86 163
Extraordinary Expenditures from
Current Funds, FY 1971-72 (By Museum
Type, Budget Size, Governing
Authority, and Region)
Figure 87 165
Current Fund Balances, FY 1971-72
(By Museum Type, Budget Size,
Governing Authority, and Region)
Figure 88 166
Non-Current Fund Balances,
FY 1971-72 (By Museum Type, Budget
Size and Region)
Figure 89 168
Museums with Endowment Funds, by
Museum Type and Budget Size
Figure 89A 169
Museums with Endowment Funds, by
Governing Authority and Region
Figure 90 170
Endowment Fund Balances,
FY 1971-72 (By Museum Type, Budget
Size, and Region)
Figure 91 173
Necessity for Cutbacks in Facilities,
Services, or Staff Since 1966, by
Museum Type and Budget Size
Figure 91 A 174
Necessity for Cutbacks in Facilities,
Services, or Staff Since 1966, by
Governing Authority
Figure 92 176
Specified Cutbacks Necessary Since
1966 (By Museum Type, Budget Size,
and Governing Authority)
Figure 93 177
Distribution of Total Operating Budget
Among Program Areas, by Museum
Type and Budget Size
XII
Figure 93A 178
Distribution of Total Operating Budget
Among Program Areas, by Governing
Authority
Figure 94 181
Priority Funding Areas Over Next
Five to Ten Years (By Museum Type,
Budget Size, and Governing Authority)
Foreword
XIII
America's museums, whose beginnings
predate the nation's founding in 1776, are
a major thread in the rich cultural fabric
of this country and the world. Museums
USA is the first publication to present a
comprehensive picture of these institutions —
their numbers and locations, their types
and functions, their facilities and finances,
their personnel and trustees, their activities
and attendance. It is, we believe, a bench-
mark in two ways: It presents a breadth
of information heretofore unknown, and,
more importantly, it offers a sound base
for future efforts to expand our under-
standing of museums and other cultural
institutions, and their role in American life.
Two important points must be kept in
mind in reading Museums USA. One relates
to what was not covered by our museum
survey; the second is a word of caution
about interpretation of the data that were
gathered.
• Regarding areas not covered by the
survey: Only museum directors were
interviewed; trustees, staff members,
and members of the museum audience
were not. Thus, the relationship between
board, director, staff, and the public were
explored only from the director's point
of view, and areas such as the motivation
and experience of the museum-goer
were not dealt with. Other information
on, for example, the number of items
in museum collections and the square
footage of museums' physical facilities
was considered too difficult to collect,
too detailed, or too closely allied to
specific types of museums to be included
in a survey of this scope. The survey
findings themselves suggest a number of
areas warranting further study and these
are noted throughout this publication.
• Regarding interpretation of the informa-
tion that was gathered: Sound data are
essential in understanding the museum
field, but a word of caution about inter-
pretation of the data is in order. Indi-
vidual statistics taken out of context
may distort rather than elucidate. For
example, aggregate figures on museum
income and expenditures do not reveal
museums' true financial status. Rather,
these figures must be viewed against a
backdrop of museum cutbacks, under-
utilization of resources, rising costs,
personnel shortages, and heavy reliance
on volunteers. As another example: There
are sharp differences in salaries paid
professional and nonprofessional staff,
and staff in museums of various types
and sizes, that are not apparent in the
overall average figures. These and other
distinctions should be kept in mind,
particularly when attempting to make
comparisons. And, of course, statistics
can rarely if ever convey information on
intangible but essential ingredients such
as quality and commitment.
The Introduction to Museums USA provides
information which is critical to any in-
formed reading of this book. It pinpoints
the background and process of our national
museum survey, including how "museum"
was defined, consequent determination of
institutions to be included, how the actual
research was conducted, and individuals
and groups involved. It discusses the con-
tent and organization of this book and
its relationship to the survey and to our
earlier publication, Museums USA:
Highlights.
Museums USA does not attempt to draw
conclusions. Nor does it provide recom-
mendations beyond some suggestions for
future exploration of problems and op-
portunities. This was a conscious decision
based on three major views expressed by
our Museum Advisory Panel, consultants,
and other experts in the field:
First, that the most urgent need for this
particular effort — the first of its kind —
XIV
was to gather and disseminate information
about America's museums.
Second, that efforts to draw conclusions
or make recommendations would seriously
delay release of sorely needed information.
Third, that exploration of some areas for
conclusions and recommendations might
more correctly be the province of the
profession itself, working in concert with
appropriate resource people and organi-
zations. The Endowment is engaged
actively with the profession and others in
furthering this process: An "Interim Com-
mittee" convened in July 1974 to explore
major concerns of the profession, the
survey's implications, and ways to begin
follow-up efforts.
While we have exercised restraint with
respect to immediate conclusions and rec-
ommendations, the Endowment is deeply
concerned with the issues that face the
museum profession today. Museums USA
goes behind the display cases into the
workings of the museum as an institution.
Thanks to advice from experts in the field,
the frequently unglamorous operational
facets of museum life not only are dealt
with throughout this publication, but also
have a prominent place in the Endowment's
major program of assistance to museums.
Endowment grants are directed not only to
mounting exhibitions and widening mu-
seums' availability to the public, but also to
conservation of collections, climate control,
storage and security, cataloguing, exchange
of visiting specialists, better utilization of
permanent collections, museum training,
and other priority concerns of the profes-
sion. Our Museum Program, which began in
1971 with less than $1 million, has in-
creased steadily to a current level of
over $10 million. The National Council
on the Arts has recommended continued
expansion.
Guided by our Museum Advisory Panel and
directed by Dr. John R. Spencer, the
Endowment's Museum Program is
assisting hundreds of museums of many
types and sizes to carry out essential
functions. As our efforts to aid museums
continue to evolve, the information in-
cluded in this publication and the ongoing
exploration of its implications will be of
great value to us, and, we believe, to mu-
seums and all those concerned with their
development.
In addition, it is my conviction that the
potential benefits of these efforts extend
well beyond museums. All of America's
cultural institutions share many areas of
common concern and potential, particularly
as their activities reach more and more
deeply into the lives of all Americans. The
impact of research of this and other types,
and the pursuit of its implications, can and
should deepen the understanding and
strengthen the bonds already apparent in
the growing trend toward cooperation
between and among America's cultural
institutions and the people they serve. We
have touched on some of these interrela-
tionships in this book. And there are many
more.
This book may be of most immediate in-
terest to professionals, trustees, citizens and
groups actively involved in the work or
study of museums and other cultural in-
stitutions, and public and private agencies
concerned with their development. Beyond
and at least partly because of these more
specific uses, I believe the ultimate value of
Museums USA will extend to the American
public at large. Demands on all our cultural
institutions are growing. If, by strengthen-
ing the base of knowledge available and
broadening the context within which it is
considered, Museums USA contributes to
effective planning to meet these demands,
we will consider our work on this book well
rewarded. Because in the final analysis,
XV
the ultimate goal we share with the nation's
cultural institutions is service to the public.
I am deeply grateful to all who made this
project possible. The National Council on
the Arts and the Museum Advisory Panel
recommended its undertaking and followed
its progress with interest. Museum service
organizations and other government agen-
cies offered their endorsement and assis-
tance. The National Research Center of the
Arts, Inc., carried out a task of impressive
proportions. The Endowment staff worked
long and hard, particularly Judith G. Smith
who wrote this book with skill and dedi-
cation. The museum professionals who
were consultants throughout the project
were extremely helpful, and those who
reviewed the manuscript of Museums USA
provided invaluable suggestions and insights.
The directors and staffs of the museums
interviewed deserve special thanks for
their cooperation. We hope all share our
excitement and pleasure in having come
this far.
It is significant that this major first step
has been taken. What is going to be more
important are the steps that follow.
Nancy Hanks, Chairman
National Council on the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
Washington, D.C.
December 1974
XVI
Introduction
America's first public museum was founded
in 1773. By 1900, one out of five of today's
museums had been established, and by
the end of the 1930's, more than half were
in operation. (Fig. 1, p. 2.) The growth
rate slowed to 10 per cent in the 1940's,
largely because of World War II, but rose
again in the 1950's and 1960's when 32
per cent of today's museums were founded.
Although museums are among this nation's
major cultural resources, research in the
museum field has been seriously limited.
Recent studies — most notably The Belmont
Report, the U.S. Office of Education's Survey
of Museums and Related Institutions, the
American Association of Museums' financial
and salary surveys, and the Conference of
Directors of Systematic Collections' report
on the systematic biology collections
of the United States — clearly have contri-
buted to knowledge of the field.1 However,
any attempt to document comprehen-
sively the status of the nation's museums
necessitated the accumulation of a larger,
more clearly defined body of data than
that already available.
The National Council on the Arts in May
1972 recommended that the National
Endowment for the Arts undertake a major
national museum survey. This recom-
mendation was based on the results of a
thorough feasibility study conducted in
close cooperation with the museum pro-
fession. The Council had determined that
the need for information in the museum
field was of highest priority, particularly
since The Ford Foundation at that time was
conducting a study of professional perform-
ance arts institutions.
The Endowment's museum survey is the first
of its kind to be conducted in the United
States of museums of all types — art, history,
science, art/history, and other museums
with combined subjects. It deals with more
than 1,800 museums and covers every major
aspect of operations: the purposes and func-
tions of the institutions, programs, accessi-
bility, attendance and admissions, collections
and exhibitions, trustees, management and
personnel, facilities, and finances. The Arts
Endowment in December 1973 published
Museums USA: Highlights, which sum-
marized some of the key findings of the
study.2
This book, Museums USA, discusses all
areas of museum operations covered
by the survey. It analyzes the data col-
lected and, where appropriate, relates
the findings to assumptions about
and opinions on the museum field
from the viewpoint of both museum
professionals and the general public. In
addition, it specifies what was not elicited
by the survey, makes some observations,
and offers some suggestions for future
efforts.
The introduction to each chapter sum-
marizes briefly some of the major findings
detailed in the chapter. This is followed
by a description of the areas covered in the
order in which they are presented.
Museums USA: Highlights and Museums
USA were prepared by the Arts Endow-
ment's Division of Budget & Research.
Judith G. Smith wrote both publications,
with research assistance from Anne Clark.
The National Research Center of the
Arts, Inc., and museum consultants
J. C. Dickinson, Jr., Thomas W. Leavitt,
1 American Association of Museums, America's
Museums: The Belmont Report, Washington, D.C.,
1968; American Association of Museums, Financial
and Salary Survey, Washington, D.C., 1971; American
Association of Museums, Museum Salary and
Financial Survey, Washington, D.C., 1973; Conference
of Directors of Systematic Collections, The
Systematic Biology Collections of the United States:
An Essential Resource (Part i), Bronx, N.Y., 1971;
U.S. Office of Education, Museums and Related
Institutions: A Basic Program Survey, Washington,
D.C., 1969.
2 Museums USA: Highlights is available at 600 per
copy from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 20402
(stock number 3600-00016).
2
Figure 1
Year in Which Museum was Founded
Base: Total museums
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
All Museums
20
3
5
10
18
10
16
16
1
1
Museum Type
Art
18
4
9
8
15
8
20
15
2
1
History
20
3
3
8
19
14
17
14
1
1
Science
22
5
4
12
18
4
16
15
1
3
Art/History
19
-
5
15
19
9
14
19
—
—
Other Combined
18
3
5
15
18
9
11
19
2
-
Budget Size
Under $50,000
11
2
3
9
20
13
17
20
2
3
$50,000-99,999
21
2
4
12
16
9
20
14
1
1
$100,000-249,999
13
6
5
12
23
8
18
14
1
—
$250,000-499,999
28
3
9
6
16
5
15
15
3
—
$500,000-999,999
41
10
10
17
6
6
2
8
—
—
$1,000,000 and Over
39
6
15
14
10
3
9
4
-
-
Governing
Private Nonprofit
20
3
5
11
19
6
16
17
2
1
Authority
Government
15
3
5
11
17
17
17
14
*
1
Federal
13
2
3
14
25
10
14
19
—
_
State
16
4
4
1
13
18
19
21
1
3
Municipal-County
13
4
7
16
18
18
17
7
-
-
Educational Institution
24
4
6
6
18
4
15
15
4
4
Public
21
4
6
7
24
3
16
13
3
3
Private
27
5
5
5
11
4
14
17
6
6
Region
New England
35
6
6
5
18
6
6
16
1
1
Northeast
26
3
9
11
15
9
14
13
—
_
Southeast
10
3
3
11
13
6
31
23
—
_
Midwest
19
4
4
12
24
10
12
13
1
1
Mountain Plains
7
4
2
10
28
9
14
18
3
5
West
15
2
4
11
11
17
21
13
4
2
* Less than 0.5%
Helmuth Naumer, and Evan Turner reviewed
the manuscript of Museums USA and made
valuable substantive and editorial contri-
butions. Both publications were supervised
by Ana Steele, Director, Budget & Research.
Survey Development
Research for the museum study was con-
ducted by the National Research Center
of the Arts, Inc., an affiliate of Louis Harris
and Associates, Inc., under contract to the
National Endowment for the Arts. The
Research Center's effort was directed by
Joseph Farrell, President, assisted by
Michael Edison and Bernard Lacy. John
Spencer, the Endowment's Museum Pro-
gram Director, and Ana Steele and her
assistant, Anne Clark, supervised the
research effort.
In the developmental phases of the study,
and in the analysis of the data, the En-
dowment and the Research Center were
advised by museum experts representing
museums of all types throughout the
country: William T. Alderson, Director,
American Association for State and Local
History, Nashville, Tenn.; Charles Buckley,
Director, St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis,
Mo.; Mildred Compton, Director, Children's
Museum of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Ind.;
J. C. Dickinson, Jr., Director, Florida State
Museum, University of Florida, Gainesville,
Fla.; James Elliott, Director, Wadsworth
Atheneum, Hartford, Conn.; Lester Fisher,
D.V.M., Director, Lincoln Park Zoological
Gardens, Chicago, 111.; Edmund Gaither,
Director, Museum of the National Center of
Afro-American Artists, Dorchester, Mass.;
Wilder Green, Director, The American
Federation of Arts, New York, N.Y.; John
Kinard, Director, Anacostia Neighborhood
Museum, Washington, D.C.; Thomas W.
Leavitt, Director, Herbert F. Johnson
Museum of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca,
N.Y.; George E. Lindsay, Director, Califor-
nia Academy of Sciences, San Francisco,
Calif.; Kyran McGrath, Director, American
Association of Museums, Washington,
D.C.; Tait Milliken, McLean, Va.; Carlos
Nagel, Santa Fe, N.M.; Joseph Noble, Di-
rector, Museum of the City of New York
New York, N. Y.; Gerald Nordland, Direc-
tor, Frederick S. Wight Galleries, University
of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles,
Calif.; Frederick Rath, Deputy Commis-
sioner for Historic Preservation, New York
State Parks and Recreation, Albany, N.Y.;
Charles van Ravenswaay, Director, Henry
Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum,
Winterthur, Del.; Frederick Schmid, Assis-
tant Director, Office of Museum Programs,
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.;
Evan Turner, Director, Philadelphia Mu-
seum of Art, Philadelphia, Pa.; Alexander
Wall, President, Old Sturbridge Village,
Sturbridge, Mass.; Bradford Washburn, Di-
rector, Museum of Science, Boston, Mass.;
E. Leland Webber, Director, Field Mu-
seum of Natural History, Chicago, III.; Solan
Weeks, Director, Detroit Historical Mu-
seum, Detroit, Mich.; Deanne Winokur,
Museum Program Officer, National Endow-
ment for the Humanities, Washington,
D.C.; Warren Wittry, Towanda, Pa.
In addition to the contributions of these
individuals, assistance was given by national
museum associations: American Associa-
tion of Museums, American Association
for State and Local History, American As-
sociation of Zoological Parks and Aquari-
ums, Association of Art Museum Directors,
Association of Science Museum Directors,
and The American Federation of Arts. The
Smithsonian Institution (National Museum
Act) and the National Center for Educa-
tional Statistics of the U.S. Office of Edu-
cation also cooperated in the development
of the study. All financial data obtained
were analyzed and checked by the ac-
counting firm of Peat, Marwick, Mitchell &
Co. for reliability, accuracy, and conformity
with survey requirements.
Survey Procedure
Six criteria developed by the museum experts
were used to determine whether or not an
institution qualified for the survey:
• The institution has permanent facilities
open to the public on a regularly sched-
uled basis.
• The facilities are open three months or
more per year and a minimum of 25 hours
per week during at least three months of
the year.
• The operating budget for FY 1971-72
(excluding expenditures for acquisitions of
land, buildings, major equipment, and for
collections) averages a minimum of $1,000
each month the museum is open.
• At least part of the collection exhibited
is owned by the institution.
• The institution has at least one full-time
paid employee with academic training or
special knowledge relating to the major
subjects represented in the collection.
• The institution is a nonprofit tax-exempt
organization.
For inclusion in the study, an institution had
to meet all six criteria. Approximately 1,821
museums in the 50 states and the District
of Columbia were identified as meeting
these criteria. Although for ease in
reading, the word "approximately" is not
carried throughout the publication, it is an
important statistical term. Starting essentially
from the U.S. Office of Education's lists
from its 1966-67 study,8 and working
closely with the American Association of
Museums, the Smithsonian Institution
(National Museum Act), and museum
professionals, the Research Center made a
major effort to identify every institution,
including those founded since 1966, that
might meet the criteria. There is some
margin for error, both in including and in
excluding institutions, but the Endowment
believes that the universe base established
is statistically sound.
Previous museum studies have been ham-
pered by the absence of a generally ac-
cepted and workable definition of museums
and the consequent inability to determine a
valid universe. It is the Endowment's hope
that the criteria formulated through the
thoughtful and thorough efforts of con-
sultant museum professionals offer a
standardized and workable definition of
museums, and that the universe established
will provide a useful and valid basis for
future museum research.
It should be noted that there are more
institutions in the museum field than the
1,821 covered by this survey. However,
criteria for inclusion in the Endowment's
study were minimal. (For example, the
annual operating budgets of museums
included in the survey were as low as
$3,700.) The Endowment and its consul-
tants are confident that the statistical
information and analysis contained in this
study would be affected little, if at all,
by the inclusion of these institutions. This
in no way represents a qualitative judg-
ment on the institutions that did not meet
all the criteria.
Of the 1,821 museums, a representative
sample of 728 was selected for interviewing.
The sampling was scientifically designed to
reflect accurately the distribution of the
1,821 museums by type, by budget size,
and by region. All 164 museums with
operating budgets of $500,000 and over
were interviewed. Approximately half of
the middle-sized museums ($100,000 to
$499,999) and one-third of the smaller
museums (under $100,000) were inter-
viewed. (The disproportionate weight given
to larger museums was statistically corrected
in the final tabulations.) In the survey, all
references made to museums are in terms
of the 1,821 that the universe comprises.
3 The U.S. Office of Education's study of museums
and related institutions was conducted in 1966-67
and published in 1969.
Figure 2
Number and Percentage of Museums
in Sample and Universe
Base: Total museums
Actual
number
in sample
Number
in universe
Percentage
of total
All Museums
728
1,821
100%
Museum Type
Art
177
340
19
History
205
683
37
Science
151
284
16
Art/History
68
186
10
Other Combined
127
328
18
Budget Size
Under $50,000
218
831
44
$50,000-99,999
123
338
19
$100,000-249,999
142
313
17
$250,000-499,999
81
175
10
$500,000-999,999
82
82
5
$1,000,000 and Over
82
82
5
Governing
Private Nonprofit
407 '
1,018
56
Authority
Government
239
623
34
Federal
47
112
6
State
78
215
12
Municipal-County
114
296
16
Educational Institution
82
180
10
Public
44
98
5
Private
38
82
5
Region
New England
82
241
13
Northeast
135
315
17
Southeast
135
334
18
Midwest
170
439
25
Mountain Plains
85
211
12
West
121
281
15
Budget Size
Art
within
Under $50,000
42
114
7
Museum Type*
$50,000-99,999
31
74
4
$100,000-499,999
52
100
5
$500,000 and Over
52
52
3
History
Under $50,000
92
423
23
$50,000-99,999
38
114
6
$100,000-499,999
58
129
7
$500,000 and Over
17
17
1
Science
Under $100,000
43
110
6
$100,000-499,999
52
118
7
$500,000 and Over
56
56
3
*The breakdown of budget size within museum type excludes art/history and other combined because of the relatively small number of museums
which these categories comprise. For the same reason, only four budget categories are used within art and history and three within science.
Once the questionnaire was developed and
field tested and the interviewers briefed by
the Research Center, interviews were con-
ducted in person with museum directors.
The directors were the primary respondents
in the survey, which is important to recall
particularly when considering material on
topics such as trustees and personnel. Infor-
mation was collected in two stages: During
the initial visit interviewers obtained basic
attitudinal and statistical data; on the return
visit interviewers secured completed budget,
personnel, and trustee forms and asked an
additional series of questions on finances.
(Attitudinal information was obtained
through both open-end and closed-end
questions.) Data in all areas were collected
for FY 1971-72, defined as the fiscal year
ending in 1972, or in December 1971 if the
fiscal year was the calendar year. Each
questionnaire was checked for completeness
and accuracy and further inquiries were
made when necessary. The financial state-
ments were reviewed by Peat, Marwick,
Mitchell & Co.
Analysis and Presentation of Data
The data collected for the survey are
examined according to the total number
of museums and by four museum charac-
teristics— type, budget size, governing
authority, and region. (Fig. 2, p. 5.) The
text of this book analyzes data in all of
these categories, except when there are no
significant or substantial variations. How-
ever, relevant statistics usually are reflected
in the accompanying figures. In selected
cases, the text also examines data by the
three major museum types (art, history,
science) broken down by budget size.
The report from the National Research
Center of the Arts, Inc., which resulted from
the survey and provided the basis for this
book, has been reproduced by the Arts
Endowment. Museums USA: A Survey Re-
port, which includes a copy of the ques-
tionnaire used in conducting the research,
may be purchased from the Superintendent
of Documents, U.S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, D.C., 20402.
As specified by the Endowment, all data
were reported in aggregate form only; data
identifying institutions by name will remain
confidential unless their release is agreed
to in writing by the museum(s).
It is possible that further major research ef-
forts requiring, for example, a specific focus
not available from this book or from the
report might benefit from the permanent
data tapes currently stored at the Research
Center. (A list of the 258 tables included in
the Research Center's report appears in the
Appendix to this book.) Inquiries from
qualified organizations regarding use
of the data tapes should be addressed to
the Division of Budget & Research, National
Endowment for the Arts, Washington,
D.C., 20506.
Chapter 1
Museum Characteristics
Introduction
Museums were classified and compared
according to four basic museum character-
istics— type, budget size, governing
authority, and region. The findings show,
for example, that the largest proportion
(62 per cent) of museums are history or
history related. Sixty-three per cent of all
museums had annual operating budgets
in FY 1971-72 of less than $100,000. More
than half (56 per cent) are governed by
private nonprofit organizations. With the
exception of New England, which has a
greater concentration of museums than of
population, the distribution of museums
across the country roughly parallels the
distribution of population.
r
This chapter defines the four museum
characteristics used in assembling the
survey data and classifies the total number
of museums by each characteristic. It then
compares the results of these classifications.
The Four Characteristics
Museum Type
Museums were classified into five types: art,
history, science, art/history, and other
combined museums with equal emphasis on
either art and science, or history and science,
or art, history, and science.
As defined in the survey, history museums
include historic sites and museum villages
in addition to the more conventional type of
museum. Included among the science mu-
seums are natural history museums, science
technology museums, zoos, aquariums,
planetariums, and botanical gardens.1
According to this classification of the 1,821
museums, more than one-third (37 per cent)
are exclusively or predominantly history.
(Fig. 3, p. 8.) Nineteen per cent of the
museums are exclusively or predominantly
art, and 16 per cent exclusively or predomi-
nantly science. Ten per cent are classified
as art/history. Among the 18 per cent of
museums with other combined subjects,
nine per cent are art/history/science, six
per cent history/science, and three per
cent art/science.2
A grouping of all museums by the three
major subject areas shows that 62 per
cent are history or history related, 41 per
cent art or art related, and 34 per cent
science or science related.
Budget Size
Museums are grouped by the size of their
FY 1971-72 operating budgets, which are
defined as all expenditures except those for
acquisitions of land, buildings, major equip-
ment, and for collections. (The value of
contributed services was not included in the
operating budgets.) The overwhelming
majority of museums are small when
measured by budget size. Forty-four per cent
had annual operating budgets of less than
$50,000, and another 36 per cent expended
between $50,000 and $249,999. (Fig. 4, p. 9.)
Ten per cent had operating budgets of
$250,000 to $499,999. Only 10 per cent of
the museums operated on funds totaling
$500,000 or more; this figure divided equally
between those with budgets of $500,000
to $999,999 and those with budgets of
$1,000,000 and over.
The annual operating budgets of the
museums included in the survey ranged
from $3,700 to over $20 million.
1 This grouping of institutions within the science
category, which has been a convention in the mu-
seum field, led to some problems in the analysis
of data. It is suggested that in future research
these areas be treated separately wherever appropriate
and possible. Consultants have suggested also that
in future research historic sites and museum
villages be treated separately from the more
conventional type of history museum.
- Because of the relatively small number of museums
involved, these three sub-categories are not broken
out separately in the analysis of the data but are
treated together in the "other combined" category.
8
In FY 1971-72, the 1,821 museums spent
$478.9 million. The impact of budget size
on total expenditures is seen clearly when
examining the percentage of expenditures
accounted for by the museums in each
budget category. Museums with budgets
of $1,000,000 and over, which represent
five per cent of all museums, accounted
for 57 per cent of the total operating ex-
penditures. In sharp contrast, the 44 per cent
of museums with budgets under $50,000
accounted for only four per cent of the total
expenditures. Between these two extremes,
the percentage of total funds expended in-
creases steadily from five per cent in
museums with budgets of $50,000 to
$99,999 to 10 per cent in the $100,000
to $249,999 museums and 12 per cent in
both the $250,000 to $499,999 and $500,000
to $999,999 museums. Thus, the 63 per cent
of museums with budgets under $100,000
accounted for only nine per cent of the
total expenditures. (Fig. 80, p. 154.)
Governing Authority
The governing authority is defined as the
agency or organization that ultimately
owns the assets and collections of the
museum though not necessarily the build-
ings and grounds. More than half (56 per
cent) of the nation's museums are governed
by private nonprofit organizations. (Fig. 5,
p. 10.) These museums, governed by either
a nonprofit organization administered in the
public interest or a church, denominational
group, or affiliated organization, are private
Figure 3
Museums by Type
Base: Total museums
History
37%
Science
16%
Art/History
10%
Other Combined
8%
only in terms of governing authority. All of
them are open to and serve the public;
their sources of support may be either
public or private or a combination of both.
About one-third (34 per cent) of the mu-
seums are governed by either a municipal-
county government (16 per cent), a state
government (12 per cent), or the federal
government (six per cent). Educational in-
stitutions govern the remaining 10 per cent
of the museums,3 divided almost equally
3 This 10 per cent includes one per cent governed
by schools below the college or university level.
Figure 4
Museums by Budget Size
Base: Total museums
100%
Under
$50,000
$50,000-
99,999
$100,000-
249,999
$250,000
499,999
$500,000
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
44%
19% I
17% I
10%
10
between those operated by a public college,
university, or school and those operated
by a private college, university, or school.
Region
The distribution of museums across the
country roughly parallels the distribution of
population. The one exception is New
England which has 13 per cent of the nation's
museums but only five per cent of its pop-
ulation. (Fig. 6, p. 11. For information
on the distribution of museums, population,
and attendance by region, see Fig. 29,
p. 51.) The six regions used in the survey
conform to those of the American Asso-
ciation of Museums:
New England (6 states): Connecticut, Maine,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode
Island, Vermont.
Northeast (6 states): Delaware, District of
Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania.
Figure 5
Museums by Governing Authority
Base: Total museums
Private Nonprofit
56%
Government
34%
Federal
6%
Municipal — County
16%
Educational
Institution
10%
■ Public
5%
• Private
5%
11
Southeast (12 states): Alabama, Arkansas,
Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia.
Midwest (8 states): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio,
Wisconsin.
Mountain Plains (10 states): Colorado,
Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico,
North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota,
Texas, Wyoming.
West (9 states): Alaska, Arizona, California,
Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah,
Washington.
Figure 6
Museums by Region and Population
r
Percentage of all museums
Base: Total museums
Percentage of total population
Base: 1970 U.S. Census
12
Some Comparisons
Art Museums
Among the three major types of museums,
art ranks second to history in the propor-
tion of museums with budgets under
$50,000 and second to science in the pro-
portion of museums with budgets of
$500,000 and over. (Fig. 7, p. 12.) Thirty-
three per cent of the art museums had
operating budgets of less than $50,000 in FY
1971-72, and 16 per cent had budgets of
$500,000 and over. Forty per cent operated
on budgets ranging from $50,000 to
$249,999; 11 per cent had budgets of
$250,000 to $499,999.
Compared with history and science, art
has the highest proportion of museums
governed by private nonprofit organizations
and by educational institutions, and the
lowest proportion operated by government
agencies. (Fig. 8, p. 13.) Over two-thirds
(69 per cent) of the art museums are
governed by private nonprofit organizations.
Another 21 per cent are under the govern-
Figure 7
Museum Type by
Budget Size
Base: Total museums
Under $50,000
$50,000-99,999
$100,000-249,999
$250,000-499,999
$500,000-999,999
$1,000,000 and Over
100%
11%
8%
8%
History
62%
17%
13%
6%1%1%
Science
20%
26%
16%
10%
Art/History
1 7% 6% 5% 2%
Other Combined
43%
20%
17%
13%
2'i
5%
13
ing authority of either private (14 per
cent) or public (seven per cent) educational
institutions. Only 10 per cent of the art
museums are operated by government
agencies: six per cent by municipal-county,
three per cent by state, and one per cent
by the federal government.
The largest percentages of art museums
are in the Midwest, the Northeast, and the
Southeast. (Fig. 9, p. 14.) Twenty-three per
cent of the art museums are located in
the Midwest and 20 per cent in both the
Northeast and the Southeast. The smallest
percentage (10 per cent) is found in the
Mountain Plains.
History Museums
Of the three major museum types, history
has the largest proportion of museums with
budgets under $50,000 and the smallest
proportion with budgets of $500,000 and
over. (Fig. 7, p. 12.) Nearly two-thirds
(62 per cent) of the history museums had
operating budgets of less than $50,000 in
FY 1971-72, while only two per cent
o
Art
History
Figure 8
Museum Type
by Governing
Authority
Base: Total museums
54%
Private Nonprofit
Government
Federal
State
Municipal-County
Educational Institution
Public
Private
69% 1% 3%
11%
20%
13% 2%
Science
45% 5% 5%
29%
1
12% 4%
Art/History
72% 2% 5%
16% 5%
Other Combined
48% 5%
14-;
22% 7% 4%
*Less than 0.5% are private educational institution museums.
14
had budgets of $500,000 and over. Thirty
per cent of these museums operated on
budgets ranging from $50,000 to $249,999,
and six per cent had budgets of $250,000
to $499,999.
A higher proportion of history museums
than of art or science museums is operated
by government agencies, and a lower pro-
portion by educational institutions. (Fig. 8,
p. 13.) While just over half (54 per cent)
of the history museums are governed by
private nonprofit organizations, a substan-
tial 44 per cent are operated by govern-
ment agencies (20 per cent by state gov-
ernment, 13 per cent by municipal-county
government, and 11 per cent by the federal
government). The remaining two per cent
of the history museums are governed by
public educational institutions.
Following the pattern of art museums, the
largest percentages of history museums
are found in the Midwest, the Northeast,
and the Southeast. (Fig. 9, p. 14.) Twenty-
two per cent of these museums are in
Figure 9
Museum Type
by Region
Base: Total museums
New England
Northeast
Southeast
Midwest
Mountain Plains
West
0
100%
Art
12%
20%
20%
23%
10%
15%
History 14% 19% 19% 22%
9%
17%
Science 10%
11%
18%
20%
14%
27%
18%
14%
15
the Midwest, 19 per cent in the Northeast,
and 19 per cent in the Southeast. The
smallest percentage (nine per cent) is found
in the Mountain Plains.
Science Museums
Among the three major types, science has
the smallest proportion of museums with
budgets under $50,000 and the largest pro-
portion with budgets of $500,000 and
over. (Fig. 7, p. 12.) Only 18 per cent of
the science museums had operating budgets
of less than $50,000 in FY 1971-72, while
20 per cent had budgets of $500,000 and
over. Forty-six per cent had budgets
ranging from $50,000 to $249,999; 16 per
cent had budgets of $250,000 to $499,999.
A lower proportion of science museums
than of art or history museums is governed
by private nonprofit organizations. (Fig. 8,
p. 13.) Less than half (45 per cent) of the
science museums are governed by private
nonprofit organizations. Government
agencies operate 39 per cent of these
museums: 29 per cent are municipal-
county museums, five per cent state, and
five per cent federal. Sixteen per cent of
the science museums are under the govern-
ing authority of either public (12 per cent)
or private (four per cent) educational
institutions.
The largest percentage of science museums
is found in the Midwest, followed by the
Southeast and the West. (Fig. 9, p. 14.)
Almost one-third (30 per cent) of these
museums are located in the Midwest; 18
per cent are in the Southeast and 18 per
cent in the West. The smallest percentage
(10 per cent) is located in New England.
Art/History Museums
More than half (55 per cent) of the art/
history museums had operating budgets
of less than $50,000, while only seven per
cent had budgets of $500,000 and over.
Thirty-two per cent operated on budgets
of $50,000 to $249,999, and the remaining
six per cent had budgets of $250,000 to
$499,999. (Fig. 7, p. 12.) The overwhelming
majority (72 per cent) of art/history mu-
seums are governed by private nonprofit
organizations. The next largest percentage
(23 per cent) is operated by government
agencies: 16 per cent by municipal-county
government, five per cent by state, and two
per cent by federal. The remaining five per
cent are governed by private educational
institutions. (Fig. 8, p. 13.) About half of
the art/history museums are. located in the
Northeast and Midwest (29 and 20
per cent, respectively). The smallest per-
centage (nine per cent) is located in the
West. (Fig. 9, p. 14.)
Other Combined Museums
Approximately four out of ten (43 per cent)
of the other combined museums had op-
erating budgets under $50,000; only
seven per cent had budgets of $500,000
and over. Thirty-seven per cent operated
on budgets ranging from $50,000 to
$249,999, and 13 per cent had budgets of
$250,000 to $499,999. (Fig. 7, p. 12.) About
half (48 per cent) of the other combined
museums are governed by private nonprofit
organizations, with an almost equally high
41 per cent operated by government
agencies (22 per cent by municipal-county
government, 14 per cent by state, and five
per cent by federal). The remaining 11 per
cent are governed by public (seven per cent)
or private (four per cent) educational insti-
tutions. (Fig. 8, p. 13.) The largest percent-
age of other combined museums is found
in the Midwest (27 per cent), followed by
the Southeast and Mountain Plains (18 per
cent each). The smallest percentage (nine
per cent) is located in the Northeast. (Fig.
9, p. 14.)
Budget Size
About half (51 per cent) of the museums
with operating budgets under $50,000 are
classified as history. This percentage de-
creases steadily as budget size increases,
with history museums representing only
16
nine per cent of the $1,000,000 and over
museums. (Fig. 10, p. 16.) Art museums
and science museums reverse this pattern.
They account for a respective 14 and six per
cent of the museums with budgets under
$50,000, and each represents 32 per cent of
the museums with budgets of $1,000,000
and over. Compared with the three major
museum types, there is less variation in the
proportions of museums in each budget
category that are classified as art/history and
as other combined. Art/history museums
represent between 12 per cent of the
museums in the under $50,000 category
and five per cent of the museums in the
$1,000,000 and over; the proportion classi-
fied as other combined ranges between
23 per cent in the $250,000 to $499,999
museums and 10 per cent in the $500,000
to $999,999 museums.
Figure 10
Budget Size by Museum Type
Base: Total museums
Under
$50,000
$50,000-
99,999
100% 14%
$250,000-
499,999
$500,000-
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
22%
22%
26%
7%
23%
m
32%
12%
35%
Art
History
Science
Art/History
| Other
Combined
17
There is little variation in governing au-
thority among the six budget categories. In
each, the largest percentage of museums
is governed by private nonprofit organiza-
tions. This ranges from 46 per cent in the
$100,000 to $249,999 museums to more
than 60 per cent in both the $500,000
to $999,999 and the $1,000,000 and over
museums. (Fig. 11, p. 17.) In all budget
categories, approximately one-third of the
museums are operated by government
agencies, ranging between 27 per cent in the
$500,000 to $999,999 group and 38 per cent
in the $100,000 to $249,999 group. In all
but the $250,000 to $499,999 category,
where the largest number of government
museums are state operated, municipal-
county museums represent the largest single
percentage of government museums.
Educational institutions govern the smallest
100%
Figure 11
Budget Size by Governing Authority
Base: Total museums
Private Nonprofit
Government
Federal
State
Municipal-County
Educational Institution
Public
Private
| Priva
m
Under
$50,000
bWc
i%
12%
1 8%
4%
5%
$50,000-
99,999
57%
1 2%
8%
1 4%
4%
5%
$100,000-
249,999
46%
10%
12%
11%l
5%
$250,000—
499,999
v%
2%
22%
13%
6%
$500,000—
999,999
63%
4%
6%
4%
6%
62%
$1,000,000
and Over
12%
6%
lb%
1%
4%
18
percentage of museums in each category,
ranging between five per cent of the
$1,000,000 and over museums and 16 per
cent of the $100,000 to $249,999 museums.
In the middle-sized budget categories of
$100,000 to $499,999 there are more public
than private educational institution mu-
seums; this pattern is reversed in the under
$100,000 and the $500,000 and over mu-
seums where the proportions of private
educational institution museums are slightly
greater than those of public.
The regional distribution of museums is
fairly uniform within each of the budget
categories under $250,000. Noticeable
variations appear, however, among the
larger museums. (Fig. 12, p. 18.) Of those
museums with operating budgets of $250,000
and over, considerably higher percentages
Figure 12
Budget Size by Region
Base: Total museums
Under
$50,000
$50,000-
99,999
$100,000-
249,999
$250,000-
499,999
$500,000-
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
100% 13%
15%
22%
9%
21% I
40%
New
England
Northeast
5%
27% I
Southeast
Midwest
2%r
17% I
Mountain
Plains
West
19
Figure 13
Governing Authority
by Museum Type
Base: Total museums
35%
Private Nonprofit
Government
Educational Institution
Art
History
Science
Art/History
Other Combined
are located in the Northeast and the Mid-
west than in any other region. For example,
of the $1,000,000 and over museums, 40 per
cent are in the Northeast and 27 per cent
in the Midwest, compared with two per
cent and five per cent located respectively
in the Mountain Plains and the Southeast.
The Northeast's share of the largest budget
museums is particularly significant con-
sidering that only 17 per cent of all muse-
ums are located in this region. The Midwest,
in contrast, accounts for almost equal
percentages of the largest budget museums
and of total museums (27 and 25 per cent,
respectively).
Governing Authority
Approximately one-third (35 percent) of
the museums governed by private nonprofit
organizations are history museums. (Fig. 13,
p. 19.) Twenty-three per cent are classified
as art and 13 per cent as science. Other
combined museums account for 16 per cent
of the private nonprofit museums and
art/history 13 per cent.
History museums also represent the largest
percentage (47 per cent) of all govern-
ment museums. (They constitute 64
per cent of the federal museums, 63 per
cent of the state museums, and 32 per cent
of the municipal-county museums.) Eighteen
per cent of all government museums are
science (representing 28 per cent of mu-
nicipal-county, 12 per cent of federal, and
seven per cent of state museums). Art mu-
seums account for only six per cent of all
government museums (representing seven
per cent of municipal-county museums and
four per cent of both federal and state mu-
seums). Twenty-two per cent of the govern-
ment museums are other combined and
seven per cent art/history.
Educational institution museums are more
heavily art and science oriented than either
private nonprofit or government museums:
Forty-one per cent are art and 25 per cent
science, while only nine per cent are clas-
20
Figure 14
Governing Authority
by Budget Size
Base: Total museums
Private Nonprofit
Government
Educational Institution
4%
2%
Under $50,000
$50,000-99,999
$100,000-249,999
$250,000-499,999
$500,000-999,999
$1,000,000 and Over
sified as history. Other combined museums
account for 20 per cent of the educational
institution museums and art/history five per
cent.
When comparing the three major governing
authorities by budget size, only minor
variations appear. (Fig. 14, p. 20.) Almost
half (47 per cent) of the private nonprofit
museums had budgets under $50,000 and
only five per cent had budgets of $1,000,000
and over. Forty-five per cent of all govern-
ment museums had budgets under $50,000,
while only four per cent operated on
budgets of $1,000,000 and over. The distri-
bution of educational institution museums
according to budget size roughly parallels
that of private nonprofit and government
museums: Forty-three per cent had budgets
under $50,000, and two per cent budgets
of $1,000,000 and over.
There are noticeable differences in budget
size within government museums and within
educational institution museums. A con-
siderably lower percentage of federal mu-
seums (21 per cent) than of municipal-
county (50 per cent) or state (48 per cent)
museums had budgets under $50,000. And
a somewhat higher percentage of federal
museums (nine per cent) than of municipal-
county (four per cent) or state (two per cent)
museums had budgets of $1,000,000 and
over. Private, as compared with public, edu-
cational institution museums had a higher
proportion both of museums with budgets
under $50,000 (51 per cent) and of museums
with budgets of $1,000,000 and over (four
per cent). The respective figures for public
educational institution museums were 37
per cent and one per cent.
Region
While the total number of museums varies
greatly among regions, the distribution
of museums by type nationwide is prac-
tically duplicated region by region. (Fig. 15,
p. 21; Fig. 3, p. 8.) The proportion of total
museums within each region that is classi-
21
fied as art ranges from 16 per cent in the
Mountain Plains to 21 per cent in both the
Northeast and the Southeast. The proportion
that is history ranges from 30 per cent in the
Mountain Plains to 41 per cent in the North-
east and the West, and the proportion that
is science ranges from 11 per cent in the
Northeast to 20 per cent in the Midwest.
The range for art/history is from six per cent
in the West to 17 per cent in the Northeast,
and for other combined from 10 per cent
in the Northeast to 27 per cent in the Moun-
tain Plains.
With the exception of the Northeast, at least
43 per cent of the museums in each region
had annual operating budgets of less than
$50,000. (Fig. 16, p. 22.) The Northeast,
where a somewhat lower 38 per cent of
the museums have budgets under $50,000,
has the highest proportion (16 per cent) of
museums with budgets of $500,000 and
Figure 15
Region by Museum Type
Base: Total museums
17%
20%
History
Science
Art/History
Other Combined
22
over. The Midwest and the West have the
next highest proportions of large budget
museums (approximately 10 per cent each),
while the Southeast has the lowest (three
per cent).
The largest percentage of museums in each
region is governed by private nonprofit
organizations, except in the West where the
largest single percentage is operated by
government agencies. (Fig. 17, p. 23.) Of
the six regions, New England has the highest
proportion (75 per cent) of museums
governed by private nonprofit organ-
izations and the lowest proportion (13 per
cent) operated by government agencies.
Reversing this pattern, the West has the
lowest proportion (40 per cent) of private
Figure 16
Region by Budget Size
Base: Total museums
43%
23
nonprofit museums and the highest pro-
portion (48 per cent) of government muse-
ums. In each region the smallest percentage
of museums is governed by educational
institutions, ranging from seven per cent in
both the Northeast and the Southeast to
12 per cent in New England and in the West.
Figure 17
Region by Governing Authority
Base: Total museums
75%
Educational
Institution
24
Chapter 2
Purposes and Functions
25
Introduction
Given the great diversity in museum type,
budget size, governing authority, and lo-
cation, there is remarkably strong agree-
ment among the nation's museum directors
on the basic purposes of their institutions
and the functions necessary to realize these
purposes. In particular, museum directors
give high priority to what they consider the
educational responsibilities of the museum
and its role in informing and instructing the
public. Ninety-two per cent considered pro-
viding educational experiences for the pub-
lic a very important purpose of their mu-
seums. Exhibiting the cultural and/or scien-
tific heritage, essentially an educational
activity, was considered a very important
function by 84 per cent.
The first part of this chapter focuses on
the purposes and functions viewed by
museum directors as very important.
The second part discusses the directors'
evaluation of priority purposes and func-
tions, and then compares the directors' own
priorities with their assessment of the
priorities of the museum trustees and the
public, and with their evaluation of the
purposes and functions most successfully
satisfied by their museums.
Purposes and Functions
In order to determine which purposes and
functions museum directors consider most
important for their museums, each director
was asked to evaluate six purposes and
ten functions that had been suggested by
the museum consultants. Directors evaluated
each of the purposes and functions on a
scale of very important, somewhat important,
of minor importance, or not a purpose or
function. In this chapter, responses are
analyzed only in terms of the percentage of
directors that considered the given pur-
poses and functions very important.
Providing educational experiences for the
public was considered a very important
purpose by the largest percentage of mu-
seum directors (92 per cent).1 (Fig. 18, p. 27.)
Eighty-four per cent regarded as very im-
portant conserving the cultural and/or
scientific heritage, 78 per cent interpreting
the past or present to the public, and 49
per cent providing aesthetic experiences for
the public. Only 17 per cent regarded as
very important encouraging positive social
change and 17 per cent providing entertain-
ment to the public. The responses of the
directors differ little by budget size or gov-
erning authority. However, there are some
noteworthy differences among museum
types.
Providing educational experiences for the
public was selected by the highest per-
centage of directors of art museums (94 per
cent) and science museums (98 per cent) as
a very important purpose. (Fig. 18, p. 27.)
Conserving the cultural and/or scientific
heritage and interpreting the past or present,
while important to these museums, were
considered very important purposes by
lower percentages of art and science mu-
seum directors than of all directors.
Directors of history museums assess dif-
ferently the role of their museums: while
86 per cent viewed providing educational
experiences as a very important purpose,
93 per cent regarded both conserving the
cultural and/or scientific heritage and in-
terpreting the past or present as very im-
portant. (Consultants have suggested that
this apparent discrepancy between the
viewpoints of history museum directors
and other directors perhaps stems from the
1 Consultants have noted that the interpretation of
"educational experiences" undoubtedly varied widely
among museums, and have suggested that the
educational role of museums in the broadest sense
(including but not limited to educational programs)
is an important topic for further examination and
analysis.
26
principal concern of history museums for
historical preservation, expressed here as
conservation, and the corollary attitude that
their most vital educational contribution is
through interpretation of the past.)
In art/history museums and other combined
museums, the ordering of very important
purposes was nearly identical. Ninety-four
per cent of the directors of art/history mu-
seums and 96 per cent of the directors of
other combined museums cited providing
educational experiences for the public as
very important. Conserving the cultural
and/or scientific heritage was mentioned by
a respective 94 and 87 per cent, and inter-
preting the past or present by a respective
91 and 83 per cent.
Art museum directors are found to be more
concerned than directors of any other type
of museum with providing aesthetic experi-
ences for the public: Ninety-two per cent
of the art museum directors thought this
purpose very important compared with 51
per cent of the science museum directors
and only 27 per cent of those in charge of
history museums. This purpose was cited by
a respective 52 and 46 per cent of the di-
rectors of other combined and art/history
museums.
Of all six purposes, encouraging positive
social change and providing entertainment
ranked lowest in each museum type.2
Directors of science museums do attribute
more importance to entertaining the public
(28 per cent) than do directors of history
museums (16 per cent), art museums (nine
per cent), or art/history and other combined
museums (18 per cent each). The inclusion
of facilities such as zoos and botanical
gardens in the science category would seem
to be one reason for this difference.
The emphasis given to providing educa-
tional experiences as a museum purpose is
reinforced by the directors' assessment of
the importance of ten museum functions.
Exhibiting the cultural and/or scientific heri-
tage, essentially an educational activity, was
regarded as a very important function by 84
per cent of the directors. (Fig. 19, pp. 28-29.)
Conservation and preservation of objects
was considered very important by 82 per
cent, providing instruction to the young by
71 per cent,3 providing a scholarly and
information resource by 62 per cent, and
acquiring works or specimens by 56 per cent.
Less than half of the directors identified as
very important to their museums any one of
the five remaining functions, of which the
lowest ranked were rendering assistance to
smaller museums (16 per cent) and training
museum professionals (14 per cent). The
question on training museum professionals
referred only to training as a function of
the individual museum. The existence or
nature of training programs conducted by
institutions other than museums, and the
director's assessment of the importance of
such programs, were not covered in the
survey. (Information on museum in-service
training programs is considered in
Chapter 7, p. 118.)
Among art museums, the function ranked
highest by directors was exhibiting the cul-
tural and/or scientific heritage (84 per cent),
followed by providing instruction to the
young (75 per cent). (Fig. 19, pp. 28-29.) This
is reversed among science museum direc-
tors: Eighty-one per cent selected providing
instruction to the young as a very important
function and 70 per cent exhibiting the cul-
tural and/or scientific heritage.
The importance history museum directors
assign to conserving the cultural and/or
2 Directors themselves were not asked to rank pur-
poses and functions in order of importance. Rankings,
as referred to in this section, indicate the ordering of
purposes and of functions based on the proportion
of directors that cited each as very important or,
in describing priorities, as one of the two most
important.
3 The survey did not specify an age range for this item.
27
Figure 18
Purposes Considered Very Important
by Directors
Base: Total museum directors
Art
History
Science
Art/History
Other Combined
92%
All Directors
Providing educational
experiences for the
public
Directors by Museum Type
84%
Conserving the
cultural and/or
scientific heritage
78%
Interpreting the past
or present to the public
49%
Providing aesthetic
experiences for the
public
92%
17%
Encouraging positive
social change
22%
6%
2
1 19%
26%
28%
17%
Providing
entertainment to
the public
28%
28
Figure 19
Functions Considered Very Important
by Directors
Base: Total museum directors
Art
History
Science
Art/History
Other Combined
84%
All Directors
82%
Exhibiting the cultural
and/or scientific
heritage
Directors by Museum Type
Conservation and
preservation of objects
Providing instruction
to the young
Providing a scholarly
and information
resource
Acquiring works
or specimens
94%
95%
29
Figure 19 (cont'd)
Functions Considered Very Important
by Directors
Base: Total museum directors
1 Art
History
Science
I Art/History
Other Combined
All Directors
41%
Conducting research
Directors b
y Museum Type
40%
37%
46%
38%
Attracting tourists to
the community
47%
42% ,
20%
Serving as a center for
community activities
33%
16%
Rendering assistance to
smaller museums
14%
Training museum
professionals
scientific heritage as a museum purpose is
reflected in their evaluation of functions,
with 91 per cent identifying conservation
and preservation of objects as very im-
portant. This function was considered
very important by lower proportions of
art (69 per cent) and science (68 per cent)
museum directors, although it did rank third
for both of these museum types. In history
museums, as in art and science, emphasis is
given to educational activities: Exhibiting
the cultural and/or scientific heritage
and instructing the young were ranked
second and third, respectively, by history
museum directors.
The largest percentage of directors of art/
history museums (95 per cent) and other
combined museums (82 percent) cited
conservation and preservation of objects as
a very important function, followed closely
by exhibiting the cultural and/or scientific
heritage (94 and 81 percent, respectively).
Providing a scholarly and information re-
source was cited by 67 per cent of the
art/history museum directors as a very im-
portant function. In other combined mu-
seums, all of which have some emphasis on
science, the function ranked third was pro-
viding instruction to the young (71 per cent).
Rendering assistance to smaller museums
and training museum professionals were
among the lowest ranked functions in each
museum type. However, a larger percentage
of both art and science museum directors
(21 per cent) than of history museum direc-
tors (six per cent) considered training a
very important museum activity. Fourteen
per cent of the directors of art/history and of
other combined museums considered this
function very important. Attracting tourists
to the community was considered a very
important function by a lower percentage of
directors of art museums than of any other
museum type. Serving as a center for
community activities was ranked lowest
by history museum directors.
30
Priority Purposes and Functions
In addition to assessing the relative im-
portance of the given purposes and func-
tions, directors selected from the list the
two purposes and the two functions they
thought most important for their museums.
These responses then were compared with
the directors' evaluations of the two pur-
poses and two functions most important to
museum trustees and to the public, and of
the two purposes and two functions the mu-
seum had satisfied most successfully.
Providing educational experiences for the
public, highest on the directors' list of very
important purposes, was cited by 69 per
cent of the directors as one of the two pur-
poses they considered most important for
their museums. (Fig. 20, p. 32.) Fifty-eight
per cent cited conserving the cultural and/
or scientific heritage and 39 per cent inter-
preting the past or present.
When the directors' selections of priority
purposes are compared with their evalua-
tions of the two purposes they think the
trustees and the public consider most im-
portant, only a few variations occur. The
most striking of these is that the public, in
contrast with directors and trustees, is
thought to give higher priority to entertain-
ment as a museum purpose and lower
priority to conserving the cultural and/or
scientific heritage. (Fig. 20, p. 32.)
Within each of the three major types of
museums there also is a close correlation
between the directors' priorities and their
evaluations of very important museum pur-
poses. The highest percentage of art mu-
seum and science museum directors (74
and 92 per cent, respectively) consid-
ered providing educational experiences
as one of the two priority purposes of their
museums. (Fig. 21, p. 33; Fig. 23, p. 35.)
Among history museum directors, 70 per
cent identified conserving the cultural and/
or scientific heritage as a priority objective,
followed by providing educational experi-
ences (61 per cent). (Fig. 22, p. 34.) When
selecting priority purposes, the directors of
all three types of museums again attributed
relatively little importance to encouraging
positive social change and to entertaining
the public.
While the directors of art, history, and sci-
ence museums felt that the purposes most
important to the trustees and most suc-
cessfully met by the museum generally fol-
low their own ordering of priorities, they
indicated a different set of priorities for the
public. (Fig. 21, p. 33; Fig. 22, p. 34; Fig.
23, p. 35.) The public was thought to be
more concerned than either directors or
trustees with entertainment, and less con-
cerned with education and conservation.
And, in history and science museums, the
public was thought to give higher priority
to the museums' providing aesthetic ex-
periences.
As with museum purposes, the directors'
selection of priority functions matches their
choice of very important functions. Sixty per
cent identified exhibiting the cultural
and/or scientific heritage as one of the two
most important activities of their museums.
Forty per cent selected conservation and
preservation of objects and 30 per cent
providing instruction to the young. (Fig. 20,
p. 32.)
The public and the trustees, the directors
felt, also would rank exhibition as one of
the two most important museum functions
and rendering assistance to smaller museums
and training museum professionals as the
least important. (Fig. 20, p. 32.) The public,
however, was thought to be less concerned
with conservation and preservation of ob-
jects than were either directors or trustees.
The two other areas in which priorities
differed noticeably were research, which
according to the directors was a more im-
portant activity to them (11 per cent) than to
trustees (six per cent) or the public (two
31
per cent); and attracting tourists to the
community, a function thought to be more
important to the public (22 per cent) and
trustees (15 per cent) than to directors
(eight per cent).
In relation to this emphasis the public is
thought to give to attracting tourists as
a museum function, a recent public opinion
survey on cultural activities and resources
(including museums of all types), conducted
for Associated Councils of the Arts,
showed that 80 per cent of the public felt
it was either very (46 per cent) or somewhat
(34 per cent) important to the business and
economy of the community to have avail-
able facilities such as museums, theatres,
and concert halls.4
For art, history, and science museum direc-
tors, the ranking of priority functions not
only follows their evaluations of very im-
portant functions, but also generally corre- <■
sponds with their evaluations of the trustees
and the public's priorities. Exhibiting the
cultural and/or scientific heritage was
identified as a priority function by 64 per
cent of the art museum directors; it was
considered by an equal or greater number
of these directors to be of priority impor-
tance to the public (64 per cent) and trustees
(70 per cent). (Fig. 21, p. 33.) Unlike direc-
tors and trustees, the public was thought to
be less concerned with acquiring works or
specimens and with conservation and
preservation of objects.
In history museums, exhibition was regarded
as one of the two most important functions
by 64 per cent of the directors, with similar
ratings given for the public (64 per cent)
and trustees (66 per cent). (Fig. 22, p. 34.)
Compared with directors and trustees, the
public was thought to attribute more im-
portance to attracting tourists as a museum
function, and less importance to conserva-
tion and preservation of objects.
While exhibition was considered the pre-
dominant function in both art and history
museums, another type of educational ac-
tivity was given high priority by science
museum directors. The largest percentage
(48 per cent) of these directors identified
providing instruction to the young as one of
their museums' two most important activ-
ities, with even higher percentages given for
trustees (57 per cent) and the public (59 per
cent). (Fig. 23, p. 35.) In science museums,
attracting tourists was considered by direc-
tors to be of greater importance to trustees
and the public than to themselves; acquiring
works or specimens was considered to be
of greater importance to trustees than to
either directors or the public. The public
was thought to give lower priority than
directors or trustees to conducting research.
In each of the three major types of mu-
seums, rendering assistance to smaller
museums and training museum profes-
sionals were given priority by the lowest
number of directors for themselves and for
trustees and the public.
4 Americans and the Arts: A Survey of Public Opinion,
based on interviews in January 1973 with a repre-
sentative cross-section of Americans 16 years of
age and older, was commissioned by Associated
Councils of the Arts and conducted by the National
Research Center of the Arts, Inc., an affiliate of
Louis Harris and Associates, Inc. The study is available
from Associated Councils of the Arts, New York, N.Y.
32
Figure 20
Directors' Evaluations of the Two Purposes and Two Functions
Most Important to Themselves, the Public, and Trustees, and
Most Successfully Satisfied by the Museum
Base: Total museum directors
/
<C
£
P
-/
Rank
(%)
Rank
(%)
Rank
(%)
Rank
(%)
Purposes
Providing educational
experiences for the public
1
(69)
1
(58)
1
(67)
1
(66)
Conserving the cultural
and/or scientific heritage
2
(58)
3
(35)
2
(58)
2
(50)
Interpreting the past or
present to the public
3
(39)
3
(35)
3
(37)
3
(39)
Providing aesthetic
experiences for the public
4
(20)
5
(26)
4
(24)
4
(26)
Encouraging positive
social change
5
( 6)
6
( 2)
6
( 3)
6
( 3)
Providing entertainment
to the public
5
( 6)
2
(36)
5
(10)
5
(14)
Functions
Exhibiting the cultural
and/or scientific heritage
1
(60)
1
(65)
1
(65)
1
(60)
Conservation and
preservation of objects
2
(40)
3
(26)
2
(33)
3
(28)
Providing instruction
to the young
3
(30)
2
(32)
3
(31)
2
(36)
Providing a scholarly and
information resource
4
(24)
5
(18)
4
(20)
4
(22)
Acquiring works or specimens
5
(16)
7
(10)
5
(18)
5
(19)
Conducting research
6
(11)
8
( 2)
8
( 6)
7
( 9)
Attracting tourists
to the community
7
( 8)
4
(22)
6
(15)
6
(15)
Serving as a center for
community activities
8
( 7)
6
(15)
7
(10)
7
( 9)
Rendering assistance to
smaller museums
9
( D
10
(-)
10
(*)
9
( D
Training museum professionals
9
( D
9
( D
9
( 2)
9
( D
*Less than 0.5%
33
Figure 21
Art Museum Directors' Evaluations of the Two Purposes and Two Functions
Most Important to Themselves, the Public, and Trustees, and
Most Successfully Satisfied by the Museum
Base: Total art museum directors
/
■/
P
Q
£
J?
<N
$
J? ■ <?
O '
c?
Rank
(%)
Rank
(%)
Rank
(%)
Rank
(%)
Purposes
Providing educational
experiences for the public
1
(74)
1
(58)
1
(74)
1
(74)
Providing aesthetic
experiences for the public
2
(71)
2
(52)
2
(68)
2
(73)
Conserving the cultural
and/or scientific heritage
3
(32)
4
(22)
3
(36)
3
(32)
Interpreting the past or
present to the public
4
(15)
5
(18)
4
(11)
4
(11)
incouraging positive
social change
5
( 8)
6
( 2)
6
( 2)
5
( 4)
"Yoviding entertainment
f
to the public
6
( D
3
(32)
5
( 8)
5
( 4)
Functions
Exhibiting the cultural
and/or scientific heritage
1
(64)
1
(64)
1
(70)
1
(67)
Providing instruction
to the young
2
(36)
2
(38)
2
(38)
2
(35)
\cquiring works or specimens
3
(29)
4
(14)
3
(28)
3
(29)
Conservation and
preservation of objects
4
(24)
7
( 6)
5
(18)
5
(16)
Serving as a center for
community activities
5
(17)
3
(35)
4
(24)
4
(19)
Providing a scholarly and
information resource
6
(16)
6
(11)
6
(13)
6
(14)
Conducting research
7
( 5)
8
( D
8
( 2)
8
( 4)
Attracting tourists
to the community
8
( 4)
5
(12)
7
( 9)
7
( 5)
Rendering assistance
to smaller museums
9
( 2)
9
(-)
9
(*)
9
( 2)
Training museum professionals
9
( 2)
9
(-)
9
(*)
9
( 2)
•Less than 0.5%
34
Figure 22
History Museum Directors' Evaluations of the Two Purposes and Two Functions
Most Important to Themselves, the Public, and Trustees, and
Most Successfully Satisfied by the Museum
Base: Total history museum directors
./
P
^
^
«?
Rank
(%)
Rank
(%)
Rank
(%)
Rank
(%)
Purposes
Conserving the cultural and/or
scientific heritage
1
(70)
3
(47)
1
(73)
1
(64)
Providing educational
experiences for the public
2
(61)
1
(49)
3
(54)
2
(58)
Interpreting the past or
present to the public
3
(60)
1
(49)
2
(55)
3
(56)
Providing entertainment
to the public
4
( 6)
4
(30)
4
( 9)
4
(13)
Providing aesthetic
experiences for the public
5
( 3)
5
(12)
5
( 6)
5
( 5)
Encouraging positive
social change
6
( D
6
( D
6
( D
6
(*)
Functions
Exhibiting the cultural
and/or scientific heritage
1
(64)
1
(64)
1
(66)
1
(61)
Conservation and
preservation of objects
2
(54)
2
(39)
2
(49)
2
(42)
Providing a scholarly and
information resource
3
(23)
5
(19)
4
(21)
4
(22)
Providing instruction
to the young
4
(21)
4
(21)
3
(23)
3
(31)
Attracting tourists
to the community
5
(12)
3
(31)
5
(18)
5
(20)
Acquiring works or specimens
6
( 9)
7
( 7)
6
(13)
6
(12)
Conducting research
6
( 9)
8
( D
8
( 4)
7
( 6)
Serving as a center for
community activities
8
( 3)
6
( 9)
7
( 6)
7
( 6)
Rendering assistance to
smaller museums
9
( D
10
(-)
9
( D
9
( D
Training museum professionals
10
(*)
8
( D
9
( D
9
( D
*Less than 0.5%
35
Figure 23
Science Museum Directors' Evaluations of the Two Purposes and Two Functions
Most Important to Themselves, the Public, and Trustees, and
Most Successfully Satisfied by the Museum
Base: Total science museum directors
s^
J
•J->
P
Q
^
^
W
=?
Rank
(%)
Rank
(%)
Rank
(%)
Rank
(%)
Purposes
Providing educational
experiences for the public
1
(92)
1
(73)
1
(93)
1
(82)
Conserving the cultural
and/or scientific heritage
2
(44)
4
(16)
2
(37)
2
(31)
Interpreting the past or
present to the public
3
(17)
5
(12)
5
(17)
5
(20)
Providing aesthetic
experiences for the public
4
(16)
3
(31)
4
(22)
4
(24)
Providing entertainment
to the public
5
(15)
2
(51)
3
(25^
3
(30)
Encouraging positive
social change
6
(12)
6
( 2)
6
( 5)
6
( 5)
Functions
Providing instruction
to the young
1
(48)
1
(59)
1
(57)
1
(53)
Exhibiting the cultural
and/or scientific heritage
2
(44)
2
(56)
2
(47)
2
(42)
Providing a scholarly and
information resource
3
(28)
3
(23)
3
(25)
3
(27)
Conservation and
preservation of objects
4
(25)
4
(15)
6
(13)
5
(16)
Conducting research
5
(19)
8
( D
7
(12)
5
(16)
Acquiring works or specimens
6
(17)
7
(10)
4
(21)
4
(21)
Serving as a center for
community activities
7
( 7)
6
(12)
8
( 8)
8
( 9)
Attracting tourists
to the community
8
( 6)
4
(15)
5
(15)
7
(14)
Training museum professionals
9
( 2)
9
(-)
9
(-)
9
( D
Rendering assistance to
smaller museums
10
( D
9
(-)
9
(-)
10
(-)
36
Chapter 3
Programs
37
Introduction
The museums' ability to provide educational
experiences, and their consequent impact
as educators, is derived from the tradition-
ally visible activities of acquisition, conser-
vation, interpretation, and exhibition and
the educational and cultural programs built
upon these activities. The scope of programs
offered by museums clearly reflects the
emphasis given by directors to education in
their evaluations of purposes and functions.
In addition to the inherent educational
value of exhibitions, the overwhelming
majority of museums offer some type of
educational activity directed to a specific
audience, particularly to groups of school
children visiting the museum. Most muse-
ums also schedule educational activities for
adults and the general public. Significantly,
about half (51 per cent) of the museums
have increased their educational activities
since 1966, and only one per cent have de-
creased them. The findings show that while
most museum programs are conducted
wholly or partially by paid staff, the partici-
pation of volunteers is an important, and
in some cases critical, factor.
This chapter discusses the types of educa-
tional and cultural programs offered by
museums, and the frequency with which
they are scheduled. It also examines the
staffing of programs, the level of coopera-
tion between museums and schools and
colleges and universities, and the museums'
involvement in research and publications.
There was no attempt made in the study to
evaluate the effect of the museums' pro-
grams on the audience. The consultants
stressed the value of such an investigation
but felt that it did not fall within the scope
of this survey.
Educational and Cultural Activities
Directors were given a list of ten specific
educational and cultural activities and were
asked with what frequency their museums
scheduled each activity — regularly, occa-
sionally, or not at all. (The list of activities is
based on program descriptions used in the
U.S. Office of Education's 1966-67 survey
of museums and related institutions.)
The programs scheduled by the largest
number of museums are those conducted for
groups of school children visiting the mu-
seum. (Fig. 24, pp. 38-39.) Guided tours,
special lectures, or demonstrations were
scheduled regularly by 73 per cent of the
museums; 20 per cent occasionally sched-
uled these activities and only seven per cent
never scheduled them. This type of educa-
tional program was conducted either
regularly or occasionally by 90 per cent or
more of the museums in each category.
Nearly two-thirds of the museums conduct
classes, clubs, or study groups for school
children who visit the museum outside of
school groups. Twenty-eight per cent
scheduled these programs regularly and 34
per cent occasionally. Except for history and
art/history, more than half of the museums
in each category reported these activities. Of
the two remaining educational activities for
children, presentations at schools were given
either regularly or occasionally by 56 per
cent of the museums; organized school loan
services of special materials and collections
were provided regularly or occasionally
by 36 per cent.
Of the 93 per cent of museums with some
type of school program, 80 per cent planned
the programs for both elementary and sec-
ondary students, 15 per cent for elementary
students only, and three per cent for secon-
dary students only. (Two per cent were not
sure.) In a majority of these museums, the
schools did not participate in planning and
developing the programs. (Directors were not
asked the reasons for this apparent lack of
close cooperation.) Among museum types,
only in art and other combined did half or
more of the museums work closely with
schools in planning the educational programs.
38
Figure 24
Frequency of Educational and Cultural Activities
Base: Total museums
^
Pi
&
<£>
^v
^
^
>
*y
%
%
0/
la
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
Guided tours, special lectures,
and/or demonstrations at
museum for school classes
Regularly
73
70
77
73
64
72
68
71
71
80
88
90
Occasionally
20
21
17
22
26
21
23
23
22
15
10
4
Not at all
7
9
6
5
10
7
9
6
7
5
2
6
Guided tours and gallery talks
for general groups
Regularly
53
51
55
48
63
48
53
50
51
59
57
58
Occasionally
30
34
28
32
27
34
27
35
37
27
28
30
Not at all
17
15
17
20
10
18
20
15
12
14
15
12
Lectures, classes, clubs, and
study group for adults
Regularly
31
52
14
41
31
37
26
27
34
42
43
58
Occasionally
38
34
40
42
28
43
35
41
41
44
42
33
Not at all
31
14
46
17
41
20
39
32
25
14
15
9
Classes, clubs, study groups for
children not in school groups
Regularly
28
46
12
42
18
37
20
30
33
33
49
54
Occasionally
34
26
37
37
24
40
37
35
29
37
30
23
Not at all
38
28
51
21
58
23
43
35
38
30
21
23
Presentations at schools
Regularly
18
24
9
30
12
21
13
19
19
20
38
27
Occasionally
38
32
40
40
30
41
31
44
45
40
33
45
Not at all
44
44
51
30
58
38
56
37
36
40
29
28
Organized school loan service
of special materials and
collections
Regularly
14
18
9
15
12
23
10
12
17
21
35
21
Occasionally
22
18
18
29
19
31
17
28
25
29
20
26
Not at all
64
64
73
56
69
46
73
60
58
50
45
53
39
Figure 24 (cont'd)
Frequency of Educational and Cultural Activities
Base: Total museums
^
£"
C
0)
ftv
ft*
<?>
&
y
ft
?>
J
ft
,ftx
s£
# &
%
%
%
%
%
0/
/o
0/
/o
%
%
%
%
%
Film series prepared by
the museum
Regularly
14
28
6
19
11
12
6
11
18
26
37
37
Occasionally
16
23
13
15
13
14
13
16
19
16
16
27
Not at all
70
49
81
66
76
74
81
73
63
58
47
36
Performing arts presentations
prepared by the museum
Regularly
6
16
4
3
6
3
4
2
7
11
20
20
Occasionally
12
25
6
6
13
16
7
15
16
15
21
15
Not at all
82
59
90
91
81
81
89
83
77
74
59
65
TV programs produced
by the museum
Regularly
4
6
1
9
2
4
1
3
5
9
11
15
Occasionally
19
24
13
19
18
26
17
20
16
19
28
35
Not at all
77
70
86
72
80
70
82
77
79
72
61
50
Radio programs produced
by the museum
Regularly
3
4
2
4
2
3
2
*
5
3
9
16
Occasionally
20
22
15
23
13
27
17
20
18
26
25
30
Not at all
77
74
83
73
85
70
81
80
77
71
66
54
"Less than 0.5%
40
The level of cooperation varies more
noticeably by budget size, where school
participation in program planning occurred
much more frequently in the $1,000,000 and
over museums than in the under $100,000
museums. Within governing authority, the
level of cooperation was somewhat higher
in private nonprofit and educational institu-
tion museums than in government museums.
Slightly more than half (53 per cent) of the
museums with elementary or secondary
school programs reported that the pro-
grams were supplemented by preparatory
or follow-up activities in the schools. This
percentage remained consistently high in all
categories except the $50,000 to $99,999
museums and educational institution
museums, where it dropped only slightly
to a respective 41 and 49 per cent.
Earlier in this chapter it was noted that the
survey did not attempt to evaluate the ef-
fect of educational programs on the mu-
seum audience. The Associated Councils of
the Arts' public opinion survey did provide
some information related to this subject. It
was found that of the 62 per cent of the
public that had taken school field trips to
museums, planetariums, concerts, or plays,
the vast majority (79 per cent) felt that such
trips had stimulated their interest.
In addition to programs designed specifi-
cally for children, the great majority of
museums schedule with some frequency
educational activities for the general public
and adults. (Fig. 24, pp. 38-39.) Tours and
gallery talks for general groups were con-
ducted by 83 per cent of the museums, 53
per cent regularly and 30 per cent occa-
sionally. Within museum type and budget
size, at least eight out of ten museums
offered this type of program. Although
fewer museums scheduled lectures, classes,
clubs, and study groups for adults, a sub-
stantial two-thirds offered these programs
either regularly (31 per cent) or occasionally
(38 per cent).
Some interesting variations can be seen
when comparing the frequency of ed-
ucational and cultural programs according
to museum type and budget size. The per-
centage of museums offering programs
designed specifically for children (other
than tours or lectures for school classes) is
noticeably higher in art and science than in
history, reflecting in part the priority these
museum directors assign to providing
instruction to the young as a museum func-
tion. (Fig. 24, pp. 38-39.) For example, 79
per cent of the science and 72 per cent of the
art museums conducted regularly or occa-
sionally classes, clubs, or study groups
for children, compared with 49 per cent of
the history museums. Presentations at
schools were made by 70 per cent of the
science and 56 per cent of the art museums,
and by a somewhat lower 49 per cent of
the history museums. The great majority of
other combined museums scheduled both
of these types of programs, compared with
less than half of the art/history museums.
Adult programs — lectures, classes, clubs,
study groups — also were offered regularly
or occasionally by a substantially higher
percentage of museums in art (86 per cent)
and science (83 per cent) than in history
(54 per cent). These activities were sched-
uled by 80 per cent of the other combined
and 59 per cent of the art/history museums.
The percentage of museums conducting
tours or lectures for school groups and
tours for general groups was consistently
high in all museum types.
The occurrence of programs generally in-
creases with museum budget size. The
widest variations in the percentage of
museums reporting an activity are found in
programs for adults (ranging from 61 per
cent of the under $50,000 museums to 91
per cent of the $1,000,000 and over muse-
ums) and in presentations at schools (rang-
ing from 44 per cent of the under $50,000
museums to 72 per cent of those $1,000,000
and over).
41
Less than one-third of the museums offer
either regularly or occasionally any one of
the following types of activities prepared
or produced by the museum itself: televi-
sion programs, radio programs, film series,
and performing arts presentations. (Con-
sultants have indicated that there are un-
doubtedly museums that offer such pro-
grams prepared by groups or individuals
outside the museum. The survey, however,
did not inquire about this.) Twenty-three
per cent of the museums produced tele-
vision programs and a like 23 per cent radio
programs. In each case, less than five per
cent did so regularly. (Fig. 24, pp. 38-39.)
The occurrence of television and radio pro-
grams increases with budget size, from a
respective 18 and 19 per cent in the under
$50,000 category to a respective 50 and
46 per cent in the $1,000,000 and over
group.
Film series prepared by the museum were
offered regularly or occasionally by 30 per '
cent of all museums. This percentage rose
substantially in art museums, with 51 per
cent having film series contrasted with 34
per cent of the science and 19 per cent of
the history museums. Almost equal percent-
ages of art/history (24 per cent) and other
combined (26 per cent) museums offered
these programs. Again, budget size is an
important factor, with the proportion of
museums offering film series rising steadily
from 19 per cent of the under $50,000 mu-
seums to 64 per cent of the $1,000,000 and
over museums.
Performing arts presentations prepared by
the museum were scheduled by fewer
museums (18 per cent) than any other type
of educational and cultural activity inves-
tigated. Only in art museums was this ac-
tivity of any significance: Forty-one per cent
scheduled these programs either regularly
or occasionally, compared with approxi-
mately 10 per cent of the history and sci-
ence museums. The proportion of all mu-
seums offering performing arts presentations
does increase with size from 11 per cent of
the under $50,000 museums to 35 per cent
of the $1,000,000 and over museums. How-
ever, the occurrence of this type of program
is determined more by museum type than
by budget size. When the three major types
of museums are broken down by budget
size, it is only among art museums that the
proportion scheduling this activity rises
significantly with size.
Since 1966, about half (51 per cent) of the
museums have increased their educational
activities. Only one per cent reported a
decrease in this period. (Fig. 25, p. 42; Fig.
25A, p. 43.) Increases were concentrated
largely in programs for children and school
groups, the same program areas that were
singled out by directors as among the
most important in their museums. (When
directors were asked to describe the two or
three most important educational activities
regularly scheduled by their museums,
the programs most frequently cited were
classes or tours, especially those designed
for children and school groups. Only
seven per cent reported no educational
activities other than the educational value
of exhibitions.)
While the majority (55 per cent) of history
museums reported that program levels had
remained about the same as in 1966, 61 per
cent of both art and science museums re-
ported expanded educational activities.
Thirty-nine per cent of the art/history mu-
seums and 59 per cent of the other com-
bined museums increased their programs.
Because educational programs are rarely
self-supporting, increased activity is affected
strongly by budget size: 78 per cent of the
$1,000,000 and over museums reported in-
creases compared with a considerably
lower 39 per cent of the under $50,000
museums.
Staffing of Programs
With the exception of school presentations
42
and performing arts presentations, each of
the educational and cultural activities ex-
amined in the survey was conducted wholly
or partially by paid staff in at least 80 per
cent of the museums offering the program.
Even in the two exceptions, paid staff were
involved in no less than two-thirds of the
museums. The use of contract paid per-
sonnel was minimal, and restricted largely
to performing arts presentations. Volunteers,
however, were used widely to conduct a
variety of programs.
Volunteers were involved in conducting the
programs in at least one-third of the muse-
ums offering any of the following activities:
guided tours for school classes and general
groups; presentations at schools; classes,
Figure 25
Increases or Decreases in
Educational Activities Since 1966,
by Museum Type and Budget Size
Base: The 96% of museums that were open in 1 966
I
Increased
Decreased
Remained about same
Not sure
All
100% Museums
51%
Art
History :
Science
Art/
History
Other
Combined
1
45%
61%
3%
34%
2%
40%
55%
61%
2%
34%
3%
39%
58%
59%
Under $50,000- $100,000- $250,000- $500,000- $1,000,000
$50,000 99,999 249,999 499,999 999,999 and Over
39%l ■— I 61%r~ ~~ I 55%| I 57%| ~" I 71 %| | 78%
1%
57%
38%
1%
3%
61%
1%
36%
2%
55%
1%
39%
5%
1%
25%
2%
19%
3%H '
I 1%
*Less than 0.5% decreased activities
43
clubs, and study groups for children; and
performing arts presentations. The use of
volunteers is more frequent in art than in any
other type of museum. For instance, 67 per
cent of the art museums with tours for
school groups used volunteers to conduct
the program, compared with 44 per cent
of science, 38 per cent of art/history, 35 per
cent of other combined, and 25 per cent
of history museums. Similarly, presentations
at schools were made by volunteers in 59
per cent of the art museums with this
program, contrasted with 36 per cent of
art/history, 32 per cent of both science and
other combined, and 26 per cent of history.
The percentage of museums using volun-
teers did not vary significantly with budget
size except that volunteers were used more
frequently for school and general group
tours in the large budget museums.
100% 51'
Figure 25A
Increases or Decreases in
Educational Activities Since 1966,
by Governing Authority
Base: The 96% of museums that were open in 1 966
Government Federal
All
Museums
Private
Nonprofit
State
1%
45%
54%
1%
43%
2%
46%
1%
48%
55%
1%
42%
2%
s
Increased
Decreased
Remained about same
Not sure
Municipal-
County *
4/%
1%
50%
2%
42%
50%
8%
52%
Educational Public
Institution
51% |
Private
4%
40%
5%|
53%
47%
*Less than 0.5% decreased activities
44
Although paid staff were involved in educa-
tional and cultural activities in the great
majority of museums, in some cases volun-
teers were the sole source of manpower.
For example, in 24 per cent of the museums
with presentations at schools and in 19 per
cent of the museums with guided tours for
school classes, paid staff were not involved
and the participation of contract paid staff
was minimal. Clearly, without the services of
volunteers a considerable number of mu-
seums would be forced to restrict severely
their educational programs. (See pp. 87-94
for detailed description of volunteer
participation in museums.)
Other Museum Activities
In examining the educational and cultural
activities of museums, the survey also inves-
tigated the types of programs conducted in
cooperation with colleges and universities,
and the extent to which museums themselves
are involved in research and publication.
Aside from the nine per cent of museums
governed by a college or university, 30 per
cent had joint programs with these insti-
tutions.1 The variations within museum
type show that art and science museums
were associated with colleges and universi-
ties more often than history museums, either
through the governing authority (21 per
cent of art and 16 per cent of science,
compared with two per cent of history) or
through joint programs (38 per cent of
art and 42 per cent of science, compared
with 16 per cent of history). In addition to
the seven per cent of other combined
museums governed by a college or univer-
sity, a relatively high 46 per cent had joint
programs." Five per cent of the art/history
museums are governed by educational
institutions and another 26 per cent had
joint programs.
As with many other kinds of museum
activities, the incidence of joint programs
is closely related to budget size. Only 16 per
cent of the museums with budgets under
$50,000 conducted joint programs, while
more than half of the museums with budgets
of $250,000 and over, including 70 per cent
of the $1,000,000 and over museums, of-
fered them. In addition to the 90 per cent
of educational institution museums that are
governed by a college or university, seven
per cent had joint programs. Thirty-seven
per cent of the private nonprofit and 27
per cent of the government museums were
associated with colleges and universities
through joint programs.
Out of a list of 11 activities, the ones con-
ducted by the largest percentages of those
museums affiliated with colleges or universi-
ties, either through governing authority or
joint programs, were non-credit work ex-
perience (61 per cent) and research at the
undergraduate level (58 per cent) or the
graduate level (55 per cent). Forty-seven
per cent of the museums offered work
experience for credit at the undergraduate
level; 45 per cent offered credit courses
taught in the museum. Joint training pro-
grams for professional museum workers
were offered by the smallest percentage (24
per cent) of museums.
Research was considered by approximately
two out of three museums to be a minor
(43 per cent) or an incidental (22 per
cent) activity. One in three regarded it
as a primary (four per cent) or major (29
per cent) function. In educational institution
museums and museums with budgets of
$500,000 and over, more than half of the
museums considered research a primary or
major function.
1 The 10 per cent of all museums under the governing
authority of educational institutions includes one
per cent governed by schools below the college or
university level.
2 Eleven per cent of the other combined museums
are governed by educational institutions: seven per
cent by a college or university and four per cent
by schools below the college or university level.
45
Because research is an ancillary activity for
many museums, the impact of budget size is
predictably strong. Approximately one out
of four museums with budgets under
$50,000 reported that research is a primary
(three per cent) or major (21 per cent)
activity; this increases markedly in the
$1,000,000 and over museums, with 11 per
cent considering it a primary function and
another 62 per cent a major function. A
similar pattern appears when examining the
three major types of museums by budget
size. The proportion of art museums that
regarded research as a primary or major
activity rises sharply from 13 per cent of
those with budgets under $50,000 to 73 per
cent of those with budgets of $500,000 and
over; in history museums, it increases from
25 per cent to 87 per cent. In science, the
proportion increases from 13 per cent of
the under $100,000 museums to 54 per cent
of those with budgets of $500,000 and
over. (It should be noted here that the sci-
ence category includes two distinct types of
museums which differ greatly in terms of
research: the science or technology cen-
ter with exhibitions generally requiring
minimal or no basic research, and the
natural history museum which is strongly
research oriented.)
Slightly more than one-third' (35 per cent)
of the museums undertook or sponsored
formal research projects during FY 1971-72.
This percentage increased substantially in
educational institution museums (50 per
cent) and museums with budgets of
$250,000 and over (ranging from 60 per
cent of the $250,000 to $499,999 museums
to 78 per cent of the $1,000,000 and over.)
In the question on the level of research ac-
tivity, the term "research" was not defined.
Although it was intended that research
be interpreted as an activity leading to the
creation of new knowledge, it appears
that a number of directors took a broader
view. As a result, some consultants found
the level of research activity surprisingly
high in certain categories, particularly art
museums. Research was considered a pri-
mary or major activity by approximately 30
per cent of art as well as history and sci-
ence museums.
Publications are one means by which a
museum can expand or supplement its
educational activities. Nearly half (46 per
cent) of the museums published a formal
annual or biennial report and almost two-
thirds (63 per cent) published books, book-
lets, or regular periodicals. Twenty-two per
cent published exhibition catalogues, 22
per cent scholarly or technical papers, and
11 per cent catalogues of collections. Pre-
dictably, the percentage of museums pub-
lishing materials increases substantially with
budget size. Among museum types there is
one noticeable variation in materials pub-
lished: The majority (61 per cent) of art
museums published exhibition catalogues,
contrasted with only eight per cent of both
history and science museums. This is under-
standable in view of the fact that art muse-
ums exhibit borrowed objects more fre-
quently than either history or science.
46
Chapter 4
Attendance, Accessibility, Admissions
47
Introduction
Attendance figures are one measure of the
museum's success in discharging its obliga-
tions to the public. According to the survey
findings, a total of 308,205,000 visits were
made to the 1,821 museums in FY 1971-72.
This large attendance figure reflects not only
the extent of public demand on America's
museums, but also the public's response to
the unique experiences offered by museums.
While the majority (65 per cent) of museums
were open about the same number of hours
in FY 1971-72 as they were in 1966, 24 per
cent had increased their hours in this period.
Only 11 per cent were open fewer hours.
In FY 1971-72, 59 per cent of the museums
had free admission at all times. Thirty-seven
per cent charged admission, and four per
cent requested a donation. Although it is
commonly assumed that charging admission
is a relatively new museum practice, 76 per
cent of the museums charging had been do-
ing so for more than five years. Among direc-
tors of museums with free admission about
half felt charging would lead to a significant
decrease in attendance. However, when this
question was asked of directors of museums
that do charge only 17 per cent indicated
that this policy had in fact reduced atten-
dance markedly.
When attendance increases, there are
added demands placed on the museum's
staff and facilities. Yet, nine out of ten of the
nation's museum directors reported that
they are interested in attracting more visitors
to their museums.
This chapter, in addition to reporting figures
on the size and composition of the museum
audience, treats a variety of factors affecting
the nature of the audience. It deals with the
question of accessibility in terms of the
amount of time museum facilities are open
to the public. It investigates the admission
policies of museums and their effects on the
size and makeup of the audience. It discusses
membership policies. Finally, it examines the
directors' interest in increasing attendance
at their museums and specific efforts to
attract larger audiences.
Attendance
There is relatively little hard data on actual
attendance levels in museums. Only about
30 per cent of the museums interviewed
were able to base their responses to at-
tendance questions on actual counts.
Although the percentage of museums using
actual counts increases from 25 per cent of
the under $50,000 museums to approxi-
mately 50 per cent of the $1,000,000 and
over museums, the incidence of keeping
accurate attendance records is not dis-
cernibly high whether examined by museum
type, budget size, or governing authority.
This understandably accounts for the wide
fluctuations in previously reported atten-
dance figures.
Each director was asked to provide for FY
1971-72 the total attendance, paid and free,
at the museum's permanent facilities. In-
cluded in this attendance were general
attendance by adults and children, including
attendance at special exhibitions; atten-
dance by school class groups; and atten-
dance at organized activities such as work-
shops, classes, and performing arts presen-
tations. The list excluded attendance at
traveling exhibitions developed and sent
out by the museum.1 All figures on atten-
dance represent museum visits, as distin-
guished from museum visitors.
Some information on the number of actual
visitors was obtained in the Associated
Councils of the Arts' national public study.
It was found that 56 per cent of the adult
1 The consultants thought these figures, if available,
would be questionable and would likely result in
duplicate counts since most traveling exhibitions
originate in and travel to museums.
48
public (16 years of age and over) visited on
the average of at least once a year a history
museum, historic building or site; 49 per
cent a science or natural history museum;
and 48 per cent an art museum. Twenty-two
per cent of the public visited on the average
of three or more times a year at least one of
these kinds of museums. The study also
found that the majority (67 per cent) of the
public feels it is very important or somewhat
important to have these institutions readily
accessible.
In about half (53 per cent) of the museums,
the total attendance in FY 1971-72 ranged
from 10,000 to 99,999. Thirty per cent had
Figure 26
Attendance by Museum Type, FY 1971-72
Total museum visits
308,205,000
1. 43,024,000
2. 74,876,000
3. 117,039,000
4. 1 7,506,000
5. 55,760,000
Percentage of total museums
Base: Total museums
Percentage of total attendance
Base: Total museum visits
to
1
Art
100%
0
19%
14%
2
History
3
Science
Art/ History
Other Combined
24%
38%
16%
49
a total attendance of 100,000 or more; only
17 per cent had less than 10,000.
Out of the total 308,205,000 visits made to
the museums, 38 per cent were to science
museums, 24 per cent to history museums,
18 per cent to other combined museums,
14 per cent to art museums, and six per cent
to art/history museums. (Fig. 26, p. 48.)
Thus, science museums, although represent-
ing a smaller percentage of all museums
than art, history, or other combined, drew
the largest single percentage of total
attendance. A comparison of attendance
Figure 27
Attendance by
Governing Authority, FY 1971-72
100%
Private
Nonprofit
Government
56%
42 ",
3
Federal
4
State
5
Municipal-
County
34%
55%
15%
6%
Total museum visits
308,205,000
1. 127,430,000
2. 170,782,000
3. 47,242,000
4. 42,329,000
5. 81,211,000
6. 9,993,000
7. 7,038,000
8. 2,955,000
6
Educational
7
Public
Institution
26%
16%
10%
: 3%
Percentage of total museums
Base: Total museums
; Percentage of total attendance
i Base: Total museum visits
8
Private
50
figures by governing authority shows that a
majority (55 per cent) of all museum visits
were made to government museums, which
represent 34 per cent of all museums.
(Twenty-six per cent of total visits were made
to municipal-county museums, 15 per cent
to federal museums, and 14 per cent to
state museums.) (Fig. 27, p. 49.) Private
nonprofit museums, which account for more
than half of all museums, drew 42 per cent
of the total attendance. Educational insti-
tution museums, representing 10 per cent of
all museums, drew only three per cent.
A comparison of attendance figures by
budget size demonstrates the impact of the
Figure 28
Attendance by Budget Size, FY 1971-72
Total museum visits
308,205,000
1
Under
$50,000
2
$50,000-
99,999
3
$100,000-
249,999
100%
44%
11%
19%
8%
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
35,068,000
24,900,000
52,819,000
57,929,000
35,147,000
102,342,000
4
$250,000-
499,999
19%
10%
Percentage of total museums
Base: Total museums
Percentage of total attendance
Base: Total museum visits
$500,000-
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
34%
5%
51
larger museums on the pattern of attendance.
(Fig. 28, p. 50.) Museums with budgets of
$500,000 and over, which represent only
10 per cent of the nation's museums,
accounted for 45 per cent of the total
attendance. Museums with budgets under
$50,000, which represent 44 per cent of the
museums, accounted for 11 percent. A
similar pattern occurs in the distribution of
attendance figures by region. (Fig. 29, p. 51.)
The Northeast, with the highest percentage
of the $500,000 and over museums, had 29
per cent of the total attendance — propor-
tionately higher than either its share of
museums (17 per cent) or population (21 per
cent). New England, with a much lower
percentage of large museums, had five per
cent of the attendance — proportionately
lower than its share of museums (13 per
cent), but identical to its share of population.
Figure 29
Attendance by Region, FY 1971-72
Percentage of total museums
Base: Total museums
Percentage of total attendance
Base: Total museum visits
Percentage of total population
Base: 1970 U.S. Census
Total Museum Visits: 308,205,000
New England
14,496,000
Northeast
89,067,000
Southeast
46,413,000
Midwest
74,661,000
Mountain Plains
26,716,000
West
56,852,000
52
Eighty per cent of the total museum at-
tendance was classified as general atten-
dance, which includes people of all ages.
Elementary and secondary school classes
represented 15 per cent of the 308,205,000
visits, with the remaining five per cent
divided between attendance at performing
arts presentations and adult workshops
and classes. The kind of attendance varies
little among museum types, except that
art museums had a somewhat lower pro-
portion of school visits and, along with other
combined museums, a slightly higher pro-
portion of attendance at performing arts
presentations.
The proportion of total attendance char-
acterized as general increases with budget
size from 70 per cent in the under $50,000
museums to 86 per cent in the $1,000,000
and over museums, while school visits de-
crease on this scale from 21 to 11 per cent.
Attendance at performing arts presentations
and adult classes remains consistently low in
all budget categories. Government museums
had a higher proportion (83 per cent) of
general attendance than private nonprofit
(76 per cent) or educational institution (73
per cent) museums. A more striking variation
in type of attendance occurred within gov-
ernment museums, with federal museums
having the lowest proportion of school visits
(eight per cent) of all museum categories.
While most museums were unable to
provide specific information on the pro-
portions of general attendance represented
by adult and children's visits, the survey did
identify the groups to which museums
primarily direct their regularly scheduled
activities. More than half (56 per cent)
designed their programs for all ages equally,
and another 24 per cent developed them
primarily for adults, including university and
college students. Eleven per cent of the
museums directed programs to elementary
school children, three per cent to secondary
school students, and the remaining six per
cent to both these groups. Science museums,
which as noted earlier strongly emphasize
providing instruction to the young as a mu-
seum function, developed programs for ele-
mentary and secondary school students
more frequently than any other type of
museum. The percentage of museums de-
veloping programs primarily for adults
was noticeably higher in art (46 per cent)
than in history (18 per cent) or science
(17 per cent).
Accessibility of the Museum
Museums are open an average of approxi-
mately 11 months a year and more than
45 hours a week.2 In FY 1971-72, 79 per cent
of the museums were open during all 12
months and 67 per cent were open 41 or
more hours a week. Among museum types,
the percentage of museums open all 12
months ranged between 71 per cent in art
and 95 per cent in science. Eighty-seven
per cent of the science museums were open
41 or more hours a week, compared with
74 per cent of other combined, 63 per cent
of history, 58 per cent of art/history, and
54 per cent of art.
While only 11 per cent of the museums had
reduced the number of hours open to the
public since 1966, more than twice this
number (24 per cent) had increased their
hours. (Fig. 30, p. 53.) Sixty-five per cent of
the museums were open about the same
number of hours as they were in 1966. The
most marked variations in this pattern
occur in federal museums, where a higher
than average 23 per cent were open fewer
hours in 1971-72 than in 1966, and in other
combined museums, where a higher than
average 34 per cent were open more hours.
Only 20 per cent of all museums were open
2 By definition, all museums included in this survey
were open to the public on a regularly scheduled
basis three months or more per year and a
minimum of 25 hours per week during at least
three months of the year.
53
Figure 30
All
Museums
Art
History
Science
Art/
History
Other
Combined
Under
$50,000
$50,000-
99,999
$250,000-
499,999
$500,000-
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
Private
Nonprofit
Government
Educational
Institution
Increases or Decreases
in Hours Open to the
Public Since 1966
Open more hours
Open fewer hours
About the same
Base: The 96% of museums that were open in 1 966
0
24%
11%
65%
25%
11%
64%
20% 12%
68%
73%
71%
34% 12%
54%
20% 11%
69%
27% 12%
I L
61%
30% 7%
63%
27% 10%
63%
71%
27% 7%
66%
26% 11%
63%
70%
73%
at least one evening a week. Among mu-
seum types, this percentage is highest in
art (37 per cent) and science (28 per cent)
and lowest in history (nine per cent). The
percentage of museums open a minimum
of one evening a week increases with budget
size from 15 per cent of the under $100,000
museums to about one-third of the $500,000
and over museums. Thirty-two per cent of
the educational institution museums were
open in the evening, compared with 19 per
cent of the private nonprofit and 18 per cent
of the government museums.
The primary reasons given by museums for
not having evening hours were expected
low attendance/lack of demand and, more
importantly, lack of funds for staff and
security. These same reasons were cited by
the approximately one-third of museums
without evening hours that had tried open-
ing in the evening.
The average museum is open a sufficient
amount of time to provide easy access for
the public. However, it is probable that with
so few museums open in the evening many
people, especially adults, must limit their
visits to the weekends. The consequent
crowding of museums, particularly in urban
areas, could have an overall negative effect
on total museum attendance. Although a
substantial number of museums that tried
opening in the evening cited low attendance
as a reason for discontinuing this practice,
it is not known what efforts were made to
publicize evening hours or for what length
of time the museum experimented with the
policy. In connection with this reported low
attendance, it may be interesting to note
that the Associated Councils of the Arts'
national public study found that 55 per cent
of the adult public did not like to go to
downtown areas after dark because they felt
it was inconvenient and dangerous.
Evening hours and evening attendance were
cited by the museum consultants as subjects
worthy of further investigation.
54
Admission Policies
One factor affecting museum attendance
and accessibility is whether or not a visitor
is charged an admission fee. In FY 1971-72,
the majority (59 per cent) of museums had
free admission at all times. Thirty-seven per
cent charged an admission fee, and four per
cent requested a donation. (Fig. 31, p. 54;
Fig. 31A, p. 55.)
Although it is commonly assumed that the
charging of admission fees is a relatively new
museum practice, 76 per cent of those charg-
ing had been doing so for more than five
years, while only four per cent had been
doing so for less than one year.3 Asking for
3 The survey did not determine if a museum had
at one time charged a fee but later discontinued
the practice.
Figure 31
Admission Policies, by Museum Type
and Budget Size
■ Charge admission fee
Ask for donation
Always free
Base: Total museums
100%
37%
All
Museums
Art
History
Science
4%
59%
0
15%
1%
84%
51%
39%
1%
60%
5%
44%
i
\rt/
History
55%
5%
40%
Other
Combined
18%
8%
74%
36%
Under $50,000- $100,000- $250,000
$50,000 99,999 249,999 499,999
40% I- I 33% I |34%~
$500,000-
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
6%
58%
1%
59%
3%| | 1%
65%
J
46%
2%
52%
48%
4%
48%
55
a donation is a more recent practice, but
even here 57 per cent had had this policy
for more than five years compared with 27
per cent for less than one year.
The percentage of museums having free
admission at all times is higher in art (84
per cent) than in science (60 per cent) or
history (44 per cent). (Fig. 31, p. 54.)
Charging for admission is, conversely, a
more frequent practice in history (51 per
cent) than in science (39 per cent) or art
(15 per cent). Certain types of history
museums, such as historic sites and museum
villages, traditionally charge admission fees.
Other types of history museums are less
likely to charge. History museums also
request donations more often (five per
Figure 31A
Admission Policies,
by Governing Authority
Base: Total museums
§
Charge admission fee
Ask for donation
Always free
All
1 00% Museums
37%
Private
Nonprofit
Government Federal
State
Municipal- Educational Public
County Institution
Private
43%
59%
33%
1%
66%
6%
51%
41%
59%
37%
1%
62%
28%
2%
70%
4%
1%
S5%
1 6%
1%
83%
11%
89%
56
cent, compared with one per cent of both
art and science museums). The public is
admitted free in 40 per cent of the art/his-
tory and 74 per cent of the other combined
museums. Fifty-five per cent of the
art/history museums charge and another five
per cent request a donation; 18 per cent of
the other combined museums charge and
eight per cent request a donation.
Among all museums, budget size has sur-
prisingly little effect on admission policies.
However, when the three major museum
types are examined by budget size, the inci-
dence of charging increases steadily with
size in art (from four per cent of the under
$50,000 museums to 31 per cent of the
$500,000 and over) and in science (from 25
per cent of the under $100,000 to 63 per
cent of the $500,000 and over.) There is
little variation in history, with the per-
centage charging admission remaining con-
sistently high in all budget categories
(ranging between 45 per cent of the $100,000
to $499,999 group and 68 per cent of the
$50,000 to $99,999). Among governing au-
thorities, private nonprofit museums either
charge or request a donation (43 per cent
and six per cent, respectively) more often
than government museums (33 per cent and
one per cent) or educational institution
museums (14 per cent and one per cent).
(Fig. 31A, p. 55.)
Directors were asked what effect they
thought charging a fee or requesting a do-
nation would have, or did have, on atten-
dance at their museums. A majority felt it
would, or did, decrease attendance either
significantly (37 per cent) or somewhat (21
per cent). Thirty-six per cent felt it would, or
did, have little effect on attendance. Among
directors of those museums with free ad-
mission, about half (51 per cent) felt charg-
ing would lead to a significant decrease in at-
tendance, and another 23 per cent somewhat
of a decrease. However, when this ques-
tion was asked of directors of museums that
charge admission, only 17 per cent indicated
that this policy had in fact reduced atten-
dance markedly and about the same per-
centage (18 per cent) reported it had de-
creased attendance somewhat. The majority
(65 per cent) felt it had had little effect.
Although the survey did not investigate this,
consultants noted that instituting admission
fees may result in an initial drop in atten-
dance followed by a return to former atten-
dance levels.
Regarding the effect of admission fees on
composition of the museum audience, 59
per cent of all directors felt charging a fee
would, or did, change audience composi-
tion. Seventy per cent of the directors of
museums with free admission felt this way.
And 44 per cent of the directors of museums
charging a fee and 50 per cent of those
requesting a donation agreed that a change
had occurred. But while these directors felt
that their museums' admission policies had
produced positive changes — such as con-
tinuing to attract people who are interested
in the museum but keeping out loiterers and
vandals — the directors of museums with
free admission emphasized the possible
negative effects of charging, such as deter-
ring students, young people, and the poor
from visiting the museum. According to the
consultants, a number of museums that do
charge have taken into account these possi-
ble negative effects and are minimizing them
through means such as discounted ad-
mission fees and specified times when no
admission is charged.
Presumably, it was financial need that often
dictated the change from a policy of free
admission to one of charging. Considering
the impact of admission charges on income 4
as well as on attendance, it is interesting
that less than half (43 per cent) of the mu-
seums that charge or ask for a donation
first conducted research on the ramifications
of this policy. Consultants have indicated
4 In FY 1971-72, admission fees for general and
special exhibitions accounted for $46.3 million,
or nine per cent, of total museum income.
57
Figure 32
Membership Policies
Base: Total museums
Paid membership
| No paid membership
*3
that additional research on admission poli-
cies, especially the factors determining these
policies and the effect of these policies on
attendance and finances, would be of value
to the field.
Ail
Museums
Art
History
Science
Art/
History
Other
Combined
Under
$50,000
51%
100%
49%
Private
Nonprofit
78%
22%
40%
60%
53%
47%
Membership Policies
It would seem that an active membership
could have a positive effect on attendance,
contributions, and general support of the
museum. Yet, just 51 per cent of all museums
have a paid membership. (Fig. 32, p. 57.)
The incidence of paid memberships appears
to be related most closely to governing
authority and budget size. Seventy-five per
cent of the private nonprofit museums had
a paid membership, contrasted with 29 per
cent of the educational institution museums
and 18 per cent of all government museums.
(Twenty-eight per cent of the municipal-
county, 13 per cent of the state, and four
per cent of the federal museums had paid
memberships.) The percentage of museums
with a paid membership generally increases
with budget size, from 44 per cent of the
under $50,000 museums to 77 per cent of
the $500,000 to $999,999 museums and 72
per cent of the $1,000,000 and over.
Among museum types, art has the highest
proportion (78 per cent) of museums with a
paid membership. Art museums also have
a relatively high proportion of large budget
and of private nonprofit museums. The
incidence of paid memberships is lowest in
history (40 per cent).
Budget size also influences the actual
number of paid members. More than
one-third (37 per cent) of the museums
with a paid membership reported a total
of 1,000 or more members (individuals
and organizations). This percentage rises
steadily with budget size from 15 per cent
in the under $50,000 museums to 86 per
cent in the $1,000,000 and over museums.
(Fifty-three per cent of these largest
museums had at least 5,000 members,
58
Figure 33
Percentage of Museums that Made Special Efforts to Attract Certain Groups
Base: Total museums
£
&■<?
■&
<&
/
/ -^
•& /
/ <?v
^ o /
?/ /
%
%
%
%
%
All Museums
31
29
16
18
27
Art
36
49
19
24
33
History
28
21
9
12
24
Science
27
23
15
12
30
Art/History
27
25
20
13
19
Other Combined
40
33
25
33
30
Under $50,000
28
25
12
15
23
$50,000-99,999
29
28
18
21
28
$100,000-249,999
28
27
13
15
24
$250,000-499,999
54
37
20
25
41
$500,000-999,999
32
46
22
27
35
$1,000,000 and Over
40
51
34
29
41
Private Nonprofit
35
32
18
20
31
Government
28
22
11
15
24
Federal
37
35
16
14
36
State
27
22
8
19
26
Municipal-County
26
17
12
13
18
Educational Institution
22
35
17
21
16
Public
20
18
9
19
12
Private
24
56
27
24
20
New England
25
21
13
18
24
Northeast
37
36
15
14
36
Southeast
25
35
7
12
26
Midwest
40
30
15
20
31
Mountain Plains
24
19
16
17
18
West
28
27
30
30
21
Multiple response question;
percentages total more than 100.
59
compared with only one per cent of the
smallest ones.)
In 36 per cent of those museums with a
paid membership, the annual fee charged
for the membership category with the most
members was less than $10.00. In 35 per
cent, the fee ranged from $10.00 to $14.99,
and in 24 per cent from $15.00 to $24.99.
Five per cent charged $25.00 or more.
Increasing Museum Attendance
The survey findings show that the vast ma-
jority (90 per cent) of the nation's museum
directors would like to have more people
visit their museums. Ten per cent of the
directors reported that their museums were
unable to accommodate more than the exist-
ing number of visitors. The only measurable
differences in responses occurred within
government museums: 93 per cent of the
directors of municipal-county and 88 per
cent of the directors of state museums ex-
pressed an interest in having more visitors,
compared with a lower 77 per cent of di-
rectors of federal museums. Of those direc-
tors interested in having a larger general
attendance, 70 per cent indicated that they
were trying to attract more visitors through
publicity, primarily press releases and news
features, and to a much lesser extent through
advertising. One other possible means of
encouraging museum attendance was noted
in the Associated Councils of the Arts' na-
tional public study: Forty-four per cent of
the public expressed an interest in joining a
group that organized trips to museums, or
famous buildings and historical sites, and
provided a guide.
It is interesting to note a variety of other
factors that bear on museum attendance.
The museum survey findings show that edu-
cational programs have increased signifi-
cantly since 1966. The Associated Councils
of the Arts' survey indicates that today's
young people are much more likely than
their elders to have visited art museums
(and it might safely be assumed other types
of museums as well) while they were grow-
ing up. Furthermore, a substantial number
of the public surveyed who had gone on
school field trips to museums and other cul-
tural institutions reported that these trips
had stimulated their interest. Thus, if educa-
tional programs continue to increase, and if
more young people are involved and their
interest stimulated, an upward trend in over-
all museum attendance will likely result.
Regarding the museums' efforts to expand
their audiences, the findings show that no
more than one-third of all museums had
made special efforts to attract any one of
five given groups: senior citizens, Blacks,
Spanish Americans, other minority groups,
or the economically disadvantaged. (Fig. 33,
p. 58.) Of all museum types, art and other
combined were found to be the most actively
involved in efforts to attract particular
groups to the museum. Among budget sizes,
the incidence of special efforts was highest
in the $250,000 and over museums; among
governing authorities, it generally was high-
est in private nonprofit, federal, and private
educational institution museums. Blacks
were the subject of special efforts primarily
in the Northeast and the Southeast, Spanish
Americans in the West, and senior citizens
in the Midwest and Northeast. Most often,
the efforts to attract specific groups to the
museum involved special exhibitions or pro-
grams, contacts with group organizations,
and other activities including free or re-
duced admission for senior citizens and the
economically disadvantaged, and bilingual
information materials such as brochures or
labels for Spanish Americans.
Consultants have suggested that efforts
to attract different segments of the popula-
tion have contributed to the development of
new institutions within the field as well as
new museum audiences and increased
attendance.
60
Chapter 5
Collections and Exhibitions
61
Introduction
In FY 1971-72, more than two-thirds of
the nation's museums had special exhi-
bitions, most of which were developed
by the individual museum rather than by an
outside source. A majority of the 32 per
cent of museums that did not have special
exhibitions would like to offer them but
are unable to do so primarily because they
lack space and funds. One-third of the
museums sent out traveling exhibitions
during the year, most frequently to other
museums and universities or colleges.
The survey findings show that the frequency
with which museums are exchanging objects
has increased since 1966: Of the 99 per cent
of museums that borrow and/or loan objects,
29 per cent reported an increase in this
practice. Only nine per cent reported a de-
cline, citing as the major reasons high cost
and, more importantly, risk of damage
or loss.
The first part of this chapter is concerned
with the proportion of the total permanent
collection exhibited in FY 1971-72. Here it
is important to note that the survey did not
undertake an investigation of the number of
objects in the collection or of the proportion
of the collection catalogued, primarily be-
cause the consultants predicted considerable
difficulty in gathering useful data in a survey
of this scope. The second part of this chapter
examines the development of special exhi-
bitions and traveling exhibitions, focusing
principally on the sources of objects exhib-
ited and recipients of objects loaned. It also
discusses increases and decreases in the
exchange of objects since 1966.
Exhibition of the Permanent
Collection
During FY 1971-72, 20 per cent of the mu-
seums exhibited the entire permanent collec-
tion. (Fig. 34, p. 62.) Forty-four per cent
exhibited from 50 to 99 per cent of the col-
lection in this period, while 34 per cent
exhibited less than half. The average per-
centage of the total permanent collection
shown was 62 per cent. In two-thirds (66 per
cent) of those museums that exhibited less
than 100 per cent of the collection during
the year, the items in storage were used for
research by scholars other than those on the
museum staff. (The survey did not inquire
about the ongoing use of items in storage
by scholars on the museum staff.)
The most interesting variations in the per-
centage of the total collection exhibited
during the year occurred among museum
types and governing authorities. A con-
siderably higher percentage of museums
in history and science than in art ex-
hibited at least half of the collection.
Fifty-one per cent of the history museums
exhibited from 50 to 99 per cent and
another 20 per cent the full collection. (Con-
sultants have pointed out that historic sites
and museum villages traditionally exhibit a
substantially larger percentage of their col-
lections than the more conventional type of
history museum.) The respective figures for
science museums were just slightly lower,
with 41 per cent exhibiting from 50 to 99
per cent of the collection and 22 per cent
the entire collection. In contrast, 35 per cent
of the art museums exhibited from 50 to 99
per cent and only 14 per cent the full col-
lection.
It is important to recall, particularly in this
chapter, the diversity of museums included
in the science category. Natural history mu-
seums, which are largely research oriented
and may therefore exhibit to the public only
a small proportion of their total collection,
contrast sharply with science and technology
centers, zoos, aquariums, planetariums, and
botanical gardens which regularly exhibit a
large proportion of their collection. In some
areas of the survey, such as those concerning
the museum collection, the consultants
would have preferred that natural history
museums be treated as a separate category.
However, the survey was designed to reflect
62
All
Museums
Art
History
Science
Art/
History
Other
Combined
Under
$50,000
$50,000-
99,999
$100,000-
249,999
$250,000-
499,999
$500,000-
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
Private
Nonprofit
Government
Educational
Institution
Figure 34
Percentage of Total
Permanent Collection
Exhibited in FY 1971-72
Base: Total museums
0
Less than 50%
50-99%
100%
j Not sure
y±b
100%
20% 2%
accurately all science museums as one group,
using the conventional grouping of insti-
tutions within that category. As a conse-
quence, any attempt to break out a partic-
ular kind of institution from the science
category as treated in this survey would
result in inaccurate representation. As noted
earlier, it is suggested that refinement of this
science grouping be considered in future
research efforts.
Among governing authorities, government
and private nonprofit museums exhibited a
larger percentage of the total collection than
did educational institution museums. Forty-
seven per cent of the government museums
and 43 per cent of the private nonprofit
museums exhibited from 50 to 99 per cent
of the collection, compared with 31 per cent
of the educational institution museums. The
full collection was exhibited by a respective
21 and 22 per cent of the government and
private nonprofit museums, but by only 11
per cent of the educational institution
museums.
There are a number of reasons why each
individual item in a museum's permanent
collection is not displayed during the year.
Items such as textiles, watercolors, prints,
and drawings deteriorate if continually
exposed to light and other atmospheric
conditions. Also, depending on the type of
museum and the size of its collection, the
inclusion of certain objects in an exhibit
not only can result in duplication and misuse
of existing space but also can detract from
the intended focus and meaning of the
particular exhibit.
#
Recognizing that part of a museum's
collection may not have been exhibited for
some or all of the above reasons, the survey
singled out six specific reasons and asked
the directors what percentage of the un-
exhibited collection was not shown for each
reason. (Fig. 35, p. 63.)
63
Figure 35
Proportion of Total Permanent Collection Not Exhibited in FY 1971-72
by Reason for Not Being Exhibited
Base: The 78% of museums that
exhibited less than 100% of
the permanent collection
Numbers on the table represent the
percentage of the collection not
exhibited
o*
£>
/ S
&
/ -^
y.
/ •£"
O /
' -£>
it /
£
£
$ $ &
**'<?" ^
^ ■§ b
0° c° «f
%
%
%
%
%
%
All Museums
51
34
30
25
21
10
Art
53
27
39
16
17
14
History
47
32
27
33
22
8
Science
61
41
30
27
30
13
Art/History
51
29
24
27
20
8
Other Combined
51
37
25
16
19
7
Under $50,000
52
34
27
27
22
12
$50,000-99,999
54
38
34
27
20
8
$100,000-249,999
48
35
31
20
22
8
$250,000-499,999
53
33
27
23
19
13
$500,000-999,999
51
20
32
17
16
10
$1,000,000 and Over
44
21
30
26
19
15
Private Nonprofit
50
33
30
25
19
10
Government
53
33
28
23
25
9
Federal
39
31
34
18
14
8
State
57
42
27
31
24
12
Municipal-County
53
26
26
19
28
8
Educational Institution
55
38
35
25
20
12
Public
63
45
29
37
21
10
Private
47
32
39
10
19
13
Multiple response question;
percentages total more than 100.
64
All
Museums
Art
History
Science
Art/
History
Other
Combined
Under
$50,000
$50,000-
99,999
$100,000-
249,999
$250,000
499,999
$500,000-
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
Figure 36
Museums that Had Special
Exhibitions in FY 1971-72
Base: Total museums
1
51'
62%
58%
81%
56%
74%
85%
The largest percentage of the unexhibited
collection was not shown because of lack of
space (51 per cent), followed by insufficient
staff (34 per cent) and the secondary interest
or importance of the works or specimens
(30 per cent).1 In each of the museum cate-
gories, lack of space prevented the showing
of a major proportion of the unexhibited
collection. (As noted in the discussion of
museum facilities, a sizable percentage of
museums rated interior exhibition space less
than fully adequate2).
In most categories, the second most im-
portant reason for nonexhibition was insuffi-
cient staff. Exceptions were art museums,
museums with budgets of $500,000 and over,
federal and municipal-county museums, and
private educational institution museums; in
most of these categories, one of the primary
reasons for nonexhibition was the secondary
interest or importance of the works or
specimens. The other exception was history,
where one of the two principal reasons was
that the items were part of research collec-
tions not intended or suitable for exhibition.
Special Exhibitions
Special exhibitions, which offer museums
and their publics the opportunity to focus
on particular areas of interest, were held
by more than two-thirds of the museums
in FY 1971-72. (Fig. 36, p. 64.) Sixty-five
per cent of these museums had five or more
special exhibitions during the year, including
14 per cent that had more than 20. Thirty-
four per cent had from one to four. In a
majority (83 per cent) of the museums there
Private
Nonprofit
Government
Educational
Institution
73%
55%
79%
1 This question was asked of the directors of the 78
per cent of museums that exhibited less than 100 per
cent of the collection in FY 1971-72. (In addition
to the 20 per cent of museums in which the entire
collection was exhibited, two per cent were not
sure of the proportion not exhibited and therefore
were excluded from this question.) Since more than
one reason could apply to any portion of the col-
lection, the percentages total more than 100.
2 See pp. 132-133.
65
was no charge for special exhibitions, other
than general admission, if any. Only among
the museums with budgets of $1,000,000
and over did as many as one-third charge
for these exhibitions. (A special exhibition
is defined as an organized show of materials
or objects with a common theme or subject,
held for a limited amount of time and either
developed by the museum where shown or
obtained from an outside source.)
Among museum types, almost all (98 per
cent) of the art museums had special
exhibitions compared with 62 per cent of
science and 51 per cent of history. (The
relatively low incidence of special exhibi-
tions in history museums is partly attrib-
utable to historic sites and museum villages
which are ill-suited for this type of exhi-
bition.) Fifty-eight per cent of the art/his-
tory museums and 81 per cent of the other
combined museums had special exhibitions.
Among budget categories, special exhibitions
occurred most frequently in the $250,000
to $499,999 and $1,000,000 and over mu-
seums (85 per cent each) and least frequently
in the under $50,000 museums (56 per cent).
Noticeable variations also appear among
governing authorities, with 79 per cent of
the educational institution museums and 73
per cent of the private nonprofit museums
having special exhibitions, contrasted with
55 per cent of the government museums.
While special exhibitions were shown with
relative frequency, inadequate space
apparently is for many museums a principal
deterrent to having these exhibitions or,
as the consultants have noted, to offering
more extensive ones. Of the 32 per cent of
museums that did not have special exhi-
bitions in FY 1971-72, a majority (53 per
cent) would like to offer them but are
unable to do so primarily because they lack
space. The other major reason cited was
lack of funds, followed by lack of objects
suitable for exhibition, inability to obtain
traveling or loan exhibitions, and security
problems.
Most of the special exhibitions shown in
FY 1971-72 were developed by the museum
where they were shown rather than by an
outside source. Forty-four per cent of the
museums with special exhibitions developed
all of them, while only seven per cent de-
veloped none. In the remaining 49 per cent
of museums, at least one of the exhibitions
shown was developed by an outside source.
Fifty-nine per cent of the history museums
and 40 per cent of the science museums
developed all of their own exhibitions. But
among art museums, which offer special
exhibitions more frequently than any other
museum type, only 27 per cent developed
all of their exhibitions.
There is almost no variation among govern-
ing authorities, with approximately four out
of ten private nonprofit, government, and
educational institution museums developing
all of their own exhibitions. However, within
government museums the proportion de-
veloping all of their special exhibitions
ranged widely from 35 per cent of municipal-
county to 61 per cent of state museums.
Among budget sizes, the percentage of mu-
seums developing all of their special exhi-
bitions was highest in the under $50,000
group (50 per cent) and lowest in the
$500,000 and over categories (approxi-
mately 30 per cent).
The largest percentage of museums with
special exhibitions developed by an outside
source received them on loan either from
private collectors, artists, or service organi-
zations or from other museums. Museums
also obtained exhibitions from government
agencies other than museums and from
commercial sources. Private collectors,
artists, or service organizations represented
the major source of special exhibitions in
art, history, and science, although a sub-
stantial percentage of art museums also re-
ceived exhibitions from other museums. The
second most important source for history
and science museums was government
agencies.
66
All
Museums
Art
History
Science
Art/
History
Other
Combined
Under
$50,000
$50,000-
99,999
$100,000-
249,999
$250,000-
499,999
$500,000
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
Private
Nonprofit
Government
Educational
Institution
Figure 37
Museums that Sent Out Traveling
Exhibitions in FY 1971-72
Base: Total museums
1 34%
55%
ib%
29%
42%
56%
54%
27%
37%
39%
In addition to special exhibitions, the
directors were asked if the museum had
exhibited in FY 1971-72 any individual
objects or specimens borrowed on a
short-term basis. More than one-third (38
per cent) of all museums did exhibit such
objects, with this percentage increasing
substantially in art museums (58 per cent),
educational institution museums (55 per
cent), and museums with budgets of $500,000
and over (approximately 50 per cent). Of
all categories, state museums had the
lowest percentage (26 per cent) exhibiting
borrowed objects. The ranking of impor-
tance of the sources of individual objects
borrowed was identical to that for special
exhibitions: private collectors, artists, or
service organizations; other museums; gov-
ernment agencies other than museums;
and commercial sources.
Traveling Exhibitions
One out of three (34 per cent) of the
museums sent out traveling exhibitions in
FY 1971-72, with an average of six exhibi-
tions sent out by each museum. (Fig. 37,
p. 66.) (Traveling exhibitions are defined as
organized exhibitions developed and sent
out by the museum.3) The differences within
museum categories are similar to those
found in relation to special exhibitions. More
than half (55 per cent) of the art museums
sent out traveling exhibitions in this period,
compared with 36 per cent of science and
19 per cent of history. Twenty-nine per
cent of the art/history museums and 42 per
cent of the other combined museums sent
out exhibitions. Among budget sizes, the
percentage of museums that sent out
traveling exhibitions was considerably
higher in the $500,000 and over categories
(approximately 55 per cent) than in the
under $50,000 group (24 per cent),
although this percentage did increase
3 There undoubtedly is some overlap in traveling and
special exhibitions, since a museum may develop
and show a special exhibition which it then sends
out as a traveling exhibition.
67
All
Museums
Art
History
Science
Art/
History
Other
Combined
Under
$50,000
$50,000-
99,999
$100,000-
249,999
$250,000
499,999
$500,000-
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
Private
Nonprofit
Government
Educational
Institution
Figure 38
Museums that Loaned Objects
or Materials to Storefront
or Community-Based Museums
in FY 1971-72
Base: Total museums
42%
46%
38%
36%
40%
51%
44%
38%
sharply in the $50,000 to $99,999 category
(40 per cent). Variations were more
moderate among governing authorities:
More than one-third of the educational
institution and private nonprofit museums
(39 and 37 per cent, respectively) sent out
exhibitions, compared with 27 per cent of
the government museums.
Museums that organized traveling
exhibitions sent them most frequently to
other museums (54 per cent) or to univer-
sities or colleges (49 per cent).4 Forty-six
per cent had exhibitions shown in com-
munity centers other than museums, 42 per
cent in elementary schools, 36 per cent
in secondary schools, and 28 per cent in
storefront or community-based museums.5
The primary differences in this pattern
occured among the three major museum
types. The principal recipients of traveling
exhibitions sent out by art museums were
other museums and universities or
colleges. The most common locations for
exhibitions from history museums were
elementary schools, and from science
museums, both elementary schools and
community centers.
While relatively few museums sent traveling
exhibitions to storefront or community-
based museums, a sizable 42 per cent of all
museums did make objects or materials
available on loan to these facilities during
the year. (Fig. 38, p. 67.) The great majority,
however, lent materials only occasionally
(52 per cent) or rarely (29 per cent), and
the loan could, of course, consist of a
single object. In all categories, more than
4 The survey did not specify whether or not university
or college museums were to be included by the
respondents in this item. Because of the
relatively high response, however, the consultants
thought it likely that these institutions had been
included.
5 "Community centers other than museums" and
"storefront or community-based museums" were
not defined in the survey. Consultants have suggested
that consequently there may be some overlap in the
responses regarding these two items.
68
two-thirds of the museums that lent objects
did so only occasionally or rarely.
Only a small percentage (21 per cent) of
those museums that did not make objects
available on loan to storefront or commu-
nity-based museums were planning to do so.
The museums that were not planning to
engage in this activity cited as the major
reasons the unsuitability of objects for lend-
ing (29 per cent), lack of demand (26 per
cent), and inadequate security (18 per cent).
Ten per cent of the museums noted that
this practice was against museum policy;
only four per cent responded that it is not
a function of museums. Lack of staff was
also relatively unimportant, with only eight
per cent of the museums citing this as a
reason for not loaning objects. Since little
information is available on the number
and distribution of storefront or com-
munity-based museums, it is difficult to
Figure 39
Increases or Decreases in Exchange of Objects
Since 1966, by Museum Type and Budget Size
Base: The 99% of the 96% of museums open in 1 966 that
engage in the exchange of objects
More frequently
Less frequently
About the same
Not sure
All
1 00% Museums
29%
Art
History
Science
Art/
History
Other
Combined
9%
37%
25%
43%
13%
36%
8%
41%
8%
32%
19%
"
Under $50,000- $100,000- $250,000-
$50,000 99,999 249,999 499,999
34%
$500,000- $1,000,000
999,999 and Over
~ 43%
69
determine the extent to which reported lack
of demand for loaned objects owes to the
scarcity of these museums and/or to their
not having requested objects from the more
established museums.
The frequency with which museums are
exchanging objects has increased since 1966.
Of the 99 per cent of museums that borrow
and/or loan objects and collections, 29 per
cent reported an increase in this practice.
Only nine per cent reported a decline. (Fig.
39, p. 68; Fig. 39A, p. 69.) These findings
would indicate that rising insurance and
transportation costs have not hampered
the exchange of objects as severely as
Figure 39A
Increases or Decreases in Exchange of Objects
Since 1966, by Governing Authority
Base: The 99% of the 96% of museums open in 1966 that
engage in the exchange of objects
^ More frequently
Less frequently
About the same
Not sure
All Private
1 00% Museums Nonprofit
29%i~,~~n 30%
Government Federal State
37%
41%
25%
20%
23%
7%
33%
37%
,
Municipal- Educational Public
County Institution
32%|~~ "~ | 29%
Private
37%
45%
43%
13%
7%
70
generally assumed in the museum profes-
sion. Moreover, among art museums, which
offer special exhibitions and engage in the
borrowing and lending of objects more fre-
quently than any other museum type, a
significant 43 percent reported an increase
in this practice. The consultants have pointed
out that while the findings show an increase
in the frequency with which objects are
being exchanged, there was no information
obtained in the survey on the quality of
objects being exchanged.
Among the small percentage of museums
reporting a decline in the exchange of
objects, the major reasons cited were high
cost and, more importantly, risk of damage
or loss. This emphasis on damage or loss was
reinforced in a related question to which
almost nine out of ten museums responded
that climate control and security in the
receiving museums are very important (70
per cent) or somewhat important (17 per
cent) in the exchange of objects.
The exchange of objects not only allows
museums to expand and build upon par-
ticular interests, but also increases the
public's opportunities to see a variety of
exhibitions. While overall the exchange of
objects has increased since 1966, the
percentage of museums sending out
traveling exhibitions is still relatively low.
The findings suggest that any substantial
increase in this activity to some extent
depends on improved exhibition space and
better climate control and security in the
receiving museums.
Renting of Objects
The renting of objects is neither a frequent
activity of museums nor a significant source
of revenue for those few that do engage in
this practice. And although renting has been
suggested as a means of reaching new
publics — especially through rentals to cor-
porations and businesses — as well as a
source of revenue, there were few indica-
tions of major activity in this area.
Of the eight per cent of museums that
rented objects in FY 1971-72, 60 per cent
received rental fees of $1,000 or less.
Twenty-six per cent received fees ranging
from $1,000 to $10,000, and six per cent
from $10,000 to $50,000. Two per cent
received fees over $50,000. (The remaining
six per cent were not sure of the rental
fees received.) 6 More than half of the
museums rented objects to individuals (55
per cent) or to corporations (54 per cent).
Thirty-three per cent rented to other mu-
seums and 14 per cent to exhibition services.
Of those museums that did not rent ob-
jects, only a few (three per cent) had plans
for doing so. Among the primary reasons
cited for not instituting this practice were
the unsuitability of the collection for renting,
the possibility of loss or damage, lack of
demand, and museum policy.
6 Although the question on renting of objects was
included in a series concerning the permanent col-
lection, it did not restrict the rental of objects to
items in that collection. It is possible that items
provided through museum rental services, in addition
to those from the permanent collection, were
included in the responses.
Chapter 6
Trustees
71
Introduction
Three out of four (76 per cent) of the
museums have a board of trustees or an
equivalent body responsible for formulating
the policies that determine the programs
and activities of the museum. In the
overwhelming majority of these museums
the board's major responsibility is for
finances, while direct responsibility for
collections and exhibitions rests primarily
with the director and staff. To a large
extent, directors of museums with boards
expressed satisfaction with their board's
involvement in nonfinancial program
decisions related to exhibitions, collections,
and acquisitions. Yet, slightly less than
half considered the board very well
informed about the museum's programs
and operations. A majority felt that the
board was very well informed about the
financial situation of the museum.
According to the directors, the primary
reasons governing selection of trustees are
the individuals' interest in the museum,
aside from contributions, and their expertise
in administrative areas of value to the
museum. This is reflected in the occupa-
tional background of those museum trustees
serving terms in FY 1971-72: more than
one-third were business executives, lawyers,
bankers, accountants, and other financial
experts. Another 21 per cent were volun-
teers active in civic affairs but not otherwise
employed. The findings show that most
museum trustees are male and white,
and many 50 years of age or older.
This chapter describes the size and com-
position of boards of trustees. It examines
various reasons for and methods of se-
lecting trustees, the length and number of
terms served by trustees, and the frequency
of board meetings. It also discusses the
board's influence on museum operations in
terms of its relationship with the director
and staff, and the allocation of responsi-
bilities among these groups.
All data presented in this chapter were
obtained from museum directors. Trustees
were not interviewed.
Distribution and Characteristics
of Boards
Among all museum categories, boards of
trustees are found most frequently in pri-
vate nonprofit museums. (Fig. 40, p. 72.)
Ninety-three per cent of these museums
have boards, contrasted with 59 per cent of
the government museums and 40 per cent
of the educational institution museums
(other than the board of the parent
institution). Seventy-two per cent of the
municipal-county museums and 59 per
cent of the state museums have boards,
compared with 23 per cent of the federal
museums. Boards are found in 48 per cent
of the private and 33 per cent of the public
educational institution museums.
The occurrence of boards within museum
type, budget size, and region is determined
largely by governing authority. Art/history,
which of all museum types has the
highest proportion of museums gov-
erned by private nonprofit organizations,
also has the highest proportion (86 per cent)
with boards. Conversely, science, with
the lowest proportion of private nonprofit
museums, has the lowest proportion (66
per cent) of museums with boards. The
same interrelationship appears within bud-
get size and region. The budget categories
($500,000 and over) and the region (New
England) with the largest proportions of
private nonprofit museums also have the
largest proportions of museums with boards
(approximately 85 per cent each).
Of the 24 per cent of museums without
boards, almost half (48 per cent) are under
the jurisdiction of some type of federal, state,
municipal, or county government agency,
and 25 per cent are governed by a university
or college. Historical societies serve as the
72
Figure 40
Museums with
All
Museums
Board of Trustees
or Equivalent
Body
Art
History
Base: Total museums
Science
Art/
History
Other
Combined
Under
$50,000
$50,000-
99,999
$100,000-
249,999
$250,000-
499,999
$500,000-
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
Private
Nonprofit
Government
Educational
Institution
New England
Northeast
Southeast
Midwest
Mountain Plains
West
79%
76%
66%
186%
76%
82%
85%
87%
193%
59%
40%
73
governing body of nine per cent of the
museums without boards. This accounts
for the majority of those private non-
profit museums that do not have their own
boards.
The average museum board membership
is 19. (Fig. 41, p. 74.) There are only minor
differences among museum types, with a
slightly higher average board membership
in art, science, and art/history museums
(approximately 22 members each) than in
history or other combined museums
(16 members each). The average number
of board members generally increases
with budget size, from 15 in the under
$50,000 museums to 27 in the $1,000,000
and over museums. Board membership
averages 23 in private nonprofit museums,
compared with 14 in educational institution
museums and 11 in government museums.
The composite profile of board members
shows that most museum trustees are male
and white, and many 50 years of age or
older. (Fig. 41, p. 74.) Sixty-nine per cent
of all trustees are men; 31 per cent are
women. This varies most strikingly ac-
cording to budget size, with the proportion
of trustees that are male rising steadily
with size, from 62 per cent in museums
with budgets under $50,000 to 82 per cent
in those with budgets of $1,000,000 and
over.
Eighty-six per cent of all trustees are white.
Three per cent are Black or of some other
ethnic group such as Asian American,
Mexican American, or American Indian.
This information was not reported for the
remaining 11 per cent of trustees. No
marked differences in these proportions
are found in any of the museum categories.
(When figures on ethnic identification
are converted to the 89 per cent of
trustees for whom this intormation was
reported, the findings show that 97 per
cent of these trustees are white and three
per cent of some other ethnic identifi-
cation.)
About half (49 per cent) of all trustees were
50 years of age or older; 21 per cent were
from 35 to 49 years old and four per cent
from 25 to 34 years old. Only one per cent
of all trustees were under 25 years of age.
This information was not reported for 25
per cent of trustees. (Of the 75 per cent
of trustees for whom ages were reported,
66 per cent were 50 or more years old,
28 per cent from 35 to 49 years old, five
per cent from 25 to 34 years old, and one
per cent under 25.)
The business community is the major single
source from which museum trustees are
drawn. Approximately one-third of all
trustees serving terms in FY 1971-72 were
business executives (24 per cent) or bankers,
accountants, or other financial experts
(seven per cent). Twenty-one per cent were
volunteers active in civic affairs but not
otherwise employed. Another seven per
cent were lawyers, seven per cent educa-
tors, and four per cent elected or appointed
public officials. Professional artists, critics,
historians, or scientists accounted for only
three per cent of all trustees. There are no
significant variations in this pattern except
among governing authorities, where pre-
dictably there was a higher than average
percentage of educators on the boards of
educational institution museums (13 per
cent) and of public officials on the boards of
government museums (eight per cent). Of
all museum categories, educational insti-
tution museums had the lowest proportion
(nine per cent) of volunteers serving
as trustees and the highest proportion
(nine per cent) of professional artists, critics,
historians, or scientists as board members.
Representation of the Board
The directors of the 76 per cent of museums
with boards were asked to evaluate the
board's representation of various sectors of
74
Figure 41
Characteristics of Members of Boards of Trustees
Base: Members of boards of the 76%
of museums with board of trustees or
equivalent body
S>
P)
5^
o»
^A
CV «8?
S"
i?
^
£
'<*> O
&/<&•§/
Average number of members
19
23
16
22
22
16
15
23
20
21
28
27
23
11
14
%
%
%
0/
/o
%
%
0/
/o
%
%
%
%
%
%
Sex
Male
Female
Ethnic Group
White
Black
Other
Not sure/not reported
Age
Under 25
25-34
35-49
50-64
65 and over
Not sure/ not reported
69
31
86
2
1
11
1
4
21
32
17
25
63
37
85
2
1
12
2
5
25
32
12
24
69
31
88
1
2
9
2
18
32
23
25
78
22
82
2
1
15
5
21
36
7
31
63
37
88
1
1
10
3
15
35
23
24
71
29
82
3
1
14
5
28
31
15
21
62
38
88
1
1
10
1
5
20
34
19
21
69
31
85
1
4
10
4
23
30
18
25
71
29
86
1
*
13
3
23
31
14
29
73
27
79
4
1
16
4
21
33
10
32
81
19
86
2
1
11
3
21
36
15
25
82
18
83
3
1
13
2
16
36
18
28
67
33
86
1
1
12
1
4
21
31
17
26
76
24
87
3
1
9
4
20
37
15
24
78
22
84
1
*
15
1
6
26
39
9
19
*Less than 0.5%
75
the community such as minority groups,
blue collar workers, young people, and
members of neighborhood groups. More
than half (56 per cent) of the directors felt
that their museum's current board had ad-
equate representation of these groups. Yet,
a substantial 44 per cent responded that
representation was inadequate. Of this
number, more than one-third (38 per cent)
noted that there were plans to broaden the
representation of the board, with an em-
phasis on adding members of minority
groups.
The directors also were asked whether they
felt broadening the representation of the
board is generally a good or a bad idea and
for what reasons. Fifty-nine per cent consid-
ered it a good idea, citing as the predomi-
nant reasons the importance of having a
board that represents a cross-section of the
people served by the museum and the pres-
ence of diverse opinions and viewpoints that
would expand the board's range of interests.
Twenty-five per cent of the directors felt
broadening representation is a bad idea. The
major reason cited was that specialized
knowledge needed for the museum's opera-
tions must take precedence in the selection
of trustees. The possible effects of broader
representation on the financial support of
the museum were not considered particu-
larly significant by the directors: only nine
per cent felt it would result in greater com-
munity acceptance and financial support,
and only five per cent felt it would have the
reverse effect of impairing fund-raising
efforts.
In 60 per cent of the museums with boards,
the directors reported that there had been
no changes made since 1966 to broaden the
board's representation. Thirty-five per cent
of the museums had made changes in
this period. (Five per cent were not sure.)
About half (49 per cent) of those museums
that had made changes expanded the
board's representation by adding mem-
bers of unspecified minority and ethnic
groups. Nineteen per cent specified that
they had added Blacks to the board and
four per cent either Mexican Americans,
Latin Americans, Puerto Ricans, or Asian
Americans. Young people (age unspecified)
were added to the board in 28 per cent
of the museums, and women in 11 per cent.
Despite the addition of "young people"
to museum boards, only five per cent
of all trustees serving in FY 1971-72 were
under 35.
A comparison of directors' responses to
each of the three preceding questions on
board representation reveals some inter-
esting interrelationships. Among museum
types, art not only had the highest propor-
tion of directors that considered the current
board's representation inadequate (52 per
cent) and felt it was a good idea to broaden
representation (68 per cent), but also the
highest proportion of museums in which
changes had been made to expand rep-
resentation (48 per cent). In contrast,
while a relatively high percentage of sci-
ence museum directors considered repre-
sentation inadequate (50 per cent) and
favored the idea of broadening represen-
tation (60 per cent), these museums had the
lowest incidence of actual changes (28 per
cent). This pattern in science museums
is repeated among governing authorities.
About half of the directors of government
museums (46 per cent) and of educational
institution museums (52 per cent) felt
that the board did not have adequate rep-
resentation, and even larger percentages, a
respective 66 and 67 per cent, considered
broadening representation a good idea.
Yet, less than one-third of either govern-
ment (28 per cent) or educational institution
(24 per cent) museums actually had made
changes since 1966 to broaden the board's
representation.
76
Figure 42
Reasons Cited by Museum Directors
for Selection of Trustees
Base: The 76% of museums with board of trustees or
equivalent body
Shown significant interest in
museum aside from
contributions
Expert in administrative areas
of value to museum
Expert in subject fields
of museum
Represent special interest
groups in community
Are friends of officers and/or
members of the board
Have political influence
Are good fund raisers
Are large contributors of funds
or serve as security on loans/
notes
Have well known name and
celebrity status
Are major collectors
Are experienced museum
administrators
Other
83%
151%
48%
138%
35%
131%
29%
28%
| I
15%
Selection of Trustees
There is a discernible relationship between
the large proportion of businessmen among
museum trustees and the reasons for which
trustees are selected. Directors were asked
which of a given list of reasons for selection
applied to any of their current trustees.
While 83 per cent cited the trustees'
interest in the museum aside from con-
tributions, a substantial 72 per cent men-
tioned the more specific reason of the
trustees' expertise in administrative areas
of value to the museum. (Fig. 42, p. 76.)
This reason ranked among the top two in all
museum categories except government
museums, where more directors cited the
trustees' political influence as a reason for
selection. Among the other given reasons,
51 per cent of the directors cited the
trustees' expertise in subject areas of the
museum and 48 per cent the fact that
trustees represented special interest groups
in the community.
Relatively few directors mentioned the
trustees' ability to raise funds (35 per cent)
or to contribute funds (31 per cent) as rea-
sons for selection. However, directors
reported that in FY 1971-72 an average
16 per cent of the private contributions
to museums were received from trustees,
and that the pattern of giving had not
changed significantly since 1966. Sixty-one
per cent of the museums having boards
and receiving private support reported that
the proportion of total private contributions
accounted for by trustees was about the
same in FY 1971-72 as in 1966. Seventeen
per cent of the museums reported that
the proportion contributed by trustees was
larger; 14 per cent responded that it
was smaller.
Responsibility for the formal selection
of trustees is largely that of the board,
its officers, or a committee of the board. In a
majority of museums with boards, trustees
are nominated or recommended by the
77
nominating committee of the board (41 per
cent), the full board (12 per cent), or the
board chairman (one per cent). In no more
than four per cent of the museums are
trustees nominated or recommended by the
museum membership, the staff, or gov-
ernment officials.
While the actual election or appointment
of trustees is most often a function of the
board (37 per cent) or the board chairman
(five per cent), this responsibility does rest
with the museum membership in 27 per
cent of the museums and with government
officials in 20 per cent. The latter figure
reflects the relatively high percentage (61
per cent) of government museums that
use this method of appointing or electing
trustees.
Directors were asked to evaluate the
degree to which the process of trustee
selection is influenced by the current board
and its committees, the museum staff, the '
membership, and civic and community
groups. In almost nine out of ten museums,
the chairman of the board was considered
to have either a great deal of influence (63
per cent) or some influence (25 per cent) in
the selection of trustees. (Of those museums
with boards that have a nominating
committee, 68 per cent reported the com-
mittee had a great deal of influence and 16
per cent some influence. Of those that
have an executive committee, 59 per cent
reported this committee had a great deal
of influence and 29 per cent some influence.)
In more than seven out of ten museums, the
director was thought to have either a great
deal of influence (35 per cent) or some
influence (38 per cent) in trustee selection.
The museum staff and civic groups were
considered less influential, having either
a great deal or some influence in only 36
and 24 per cent of the museums, respec-
tively. However, well over half of the
museums that have boards and a paid
membership reported that the membership
has either a great deal (14 per cent) or
some (45 per cent) influence in the selec-
tion process.
Terms of Service
Twenty-one per cent of the museums with
boards have no specified term for their
trustees. In the 79 per cent that do have
specified terms, ranging from one year or
less to a lifetime, the most common length
of term is three years, specified by half of
the museums. Twenty-four per cent have
terms of two years or less; 23 per cent terms
of four to ten years. Only three per cent
have lifetime terms.
Aside from those museums with a lifetime
or no specified term for their trustees, in
72 per cent of the museums trustees may
serve more than one consecutive term. In
five per cent they may not. In almost half
of those museums where more than one
consecutive term is possible, directors
reported that trustees actually did serve as
long as they wished or were able.1
Despite the fact that in more than half of the
museums with boards trustees may serve
a lifetime term, an unspecified term, or as
long as they wish or are able, only nine per
cent of all trustees had served more than ten
years. (Fig. 43, p. 78.) This finding is perhaps
surprising since consultants have indicated
that entrenched boards are considered to
be a problem in many museums.
Board Meetings
Nearly half (48 per cent) of all boards meet
at least once a month, and another 35 per
cent meet at least once a quarter. Boards
1 For those museums in which trustees are allowed to
serve more than one consecutive term, the survey
did not inquire about any limitations on the number
of consecutive terms that may be served.
78
Figure 43
Length of Time Current Trustees
Have Served on Board
Base: Members of boards of the 76% of museums
with board of trustees or equivalent body
Less than
1 year
9%
1-2
years
3-5
years
25%
6-10
years
24%
More than
1 0 years
Not sure/
Not reported
16%
that meet less than once a quarter account
for a relatively low 17 per cent. The per-
centage of museums in which boards meet
at least once a month decreases with budget
size from 52 per cent of the under $50,000
museums to 36 per cent of the $1,000,000
and over museums. Board meetings are
held at least once a month in 59 per cent
of the government and 46 per cent of the
private nonprofit museums, but in only 28
per cent of the educational institution
museums. Among regions, the percentage
of museums with boards that meet this
often is highest in the West (68 per cent)
and lowest in New England (39 per cent).
There is only one significant difference
within museum type. Board meetings
occur at least once a month in 31 per cent
of the art/history museums, compared
with approximately half of the museums
in the other categories.
In 66 per cent of the museums with boards,
the board has an executive committee.
More than half (55 per cent) of these
committees meet only on special occasions,
which may occur frequently or infrequently
depending on the circumstances within
each museum. Of the 45 per cent of execu-
tive committees that meet regularly, the
great majority convene at least once a
month. (The survey did not inquire about
trustee attendance at meetings of boards or
their executive committees. Consultants
have indicated that this area may warrant
investigation in future research efforts.)
The Board, Director, and Staff
The continuity of the museum to a large ex-
tent is assured and maintained through the
cooperative efforts of the board, the direc-
tor, and the staff. The survey examined the
working relationship between these groups
in terms of the attendance of the director
and staff at board meetings and the direc-
tors' evaluations of the general level of com-
munication between the board and the
79
director/staff. In most areas, the directors
considered this relationship satisfactory.
The director is a member of the board in
less than one-third (31 per cent) of the mu-
seums with boards. However, he does
attend board meetings in the great
majority of the 69 per cent of museums in
which he is not a board member. (Fig. 44,
p. 79.) In 78 per cent of these museums the
director attends board meetings regularly,
and in 11 per cent he attends occasionally.
The director does not attend board meetings
at all in 11 per cent.
Members of the professional staff attend
board meetings either regularly (33 per
cent) or occasionally (24 per cent) in more
Figure 44
Attendance by Directors
at Board of Trustee Meetings
Base: The 69% of the 76% of museums with board
of trustees or equivalent body in which director is
not a member of the board
1 3
Attend regularly
Attend occasionally
Attend not at all
All
10°% Museums
78%.
Art
History
Science
93%
6%
1%
15%
14%
80%
72%
8%
20%
Art/
History
Other
Combinec
7%
15%
Private
Nonprofit
Government
Educational
Institution
86%
7%
7%
63%
17%
20%
M
53%
30%
17%
80
than half of the museums with boards.
Although staff members attend board meet-
ings less frequently than directors, the
overwhelming majority of directors felt that
the professional staff understands very well
(64 per cent) or somewhat well (29 per
cent) the functions and responsibilities of
the board. In all but one museum category,
the directors of at least 90 per cent of the
museums with boards felt the staff un-
derstands the board's role. The exception
is educational institution museums, where
this percentage dropped slightly to 83
per cent.
The directors also were asked to evaluate
the trustees' involvement in and knowledge
of museum operations. Eighty-three per
cent rated as satisfactory the board's in-
volvement as a group in nonfinancial
program decisions related to exhibitions,
collections, and acquisitions. Only a small
percentage of directors considered the
board either too little involved (11 per cent)
or too much involved (four per cent). The
board was considered very well informed
about the museum's financial situation
by 62 per cent of the directors, but a lower
47 per cent considered it very well in-
formed about programs and operations.
(The board was considered poorly informed
about the financial situation by only eight
per cent of the directors; 11 per cent
considered it poorly informed about pro-
grams and operations.)
In determining the allocation of responsi-
bilities among the board and the director/
staff, the directors of museums with boards
were asked to describe for each group the
involvement in and final responsibility for
the following types of decisions:
Annual Budget (98 per cent)2: In 79 per
cent of the museums the board is involved
in determining the annual budget of the
museum and in a like 79 per cent the
director/staff is involved. However, final
responsibility for determining the budget
rests with the board in 64 per cent of the
museums, while the director/staff has this
responsibility in only 21 per cent. Final
responsibility rests with the board in at
least half of the museums in all categories
except government museums (38 per cent)
and educational institution museums (48
per cent), where responsibility may fre-
quently rest with the individual governing
authority.
Endowment Expenditures (45 per cent):
Decisions on how much to spend from the
endowment are made most often by the
board, which is involved in 90 per cent of
the museums and has final responsibility in
86 per cent. While the director/staff is in-
volved in this decision in a substantial 51
per cent of the museums, it has final re-
sponsibility in only 12 per cent. The only
categories in which these proportions vary
significantly are other combined museums,
the $50,000 to $99,999 budget group, and
educational institution museums, where the
director/staff has final responsibility in
approximately one-third of the museums.
Capital Improvements and Capital Drives
(95 per cent) : In the great majority of
museums the board is both involved in
(83 per cent) and has final responsibility for
(71 per cent) determination of capital im-
provement needs and organization of
capital drives. While the director/staff is in-
volved in these decisions in 67 per cent of
the museums, it has final responsibility in
only 20 per cent.
Financial Judgments on Acquisitions (87 per
cent): The board and the director/staff are
involved in making financial judgments on
major acquisitions in a respective 70 and
72 per cent of the museums. In a majority
(57 per cent) of museums the final responsi-
2 The number of museums responding differs
for each type of decision; the figure in parentheses
indicates the percentage of museums with boards
that make such decisions.
81
bility for this decision rests with the board.
The director/staff has final responsibility
in 33 per cent of the museums.
Quality Judgments on Acquisitions (93 per
cent): The responsibility for making quality
judgments in selecting objects for acquisi-
tion rests most often with the director/staff,
which is involved in this decision in 87 per
cent of the museums and has final re-
sponsibility in 73 per cent. The board is
involved in this decision in 33 per cent of
the museums, and in 22 per cent it has final
responsibility.
Exhibitions and Programs (96 per cent):
The planning of major exhibitions and pro-
grams is handled primarily by the director/
staff, which is involved in this decision in 91
per cent of the museums and has final re-
sponsibility in 79 per cent. In contrast,
the board is involved in 25 per cent of the
museums and has final responsibility in
only 16 per cent.
Staff (98 per cent) : The director/staff also
is more frequently concerned than is the
board with setting staffing requirements.
It is involved in this decision in 85 per cent
of the museums and has final responsibility
in 63 per cent. The percentage of museums
in which the board is either involved or
has final responsibility is considerably
lower, 41 and 31 per cent, respectively.
82
Chapter 7
Personnel
83
Introduction
The total museum work force, including
volunteers, numbered more than 110,000
in FY 1971-72. Of this number, 30,400
were full-time paid personnel — 11,000 pro-
fessionals and 19,400 nonprofessionals —
and 18,700 were part-time paid personnel.
A total of 64,200 volunteers, greater in
number than the full-time and part-time
paid staffs combined, were utilized.
The distribution of full-time personnel by
job categories shows that nearly half (45 per
cent) worked in operations and support,
followed by administration (23 per cent),
curatorial, display, and exhibit (17 per cent),
education (nine per cent), and research (six
per cent). The distribution of part-time
employees roughly parallels that of full-time,
except that a lower proportion of part-
time staff was involved in administration
(10 per cent) and a higher proportion in
education (27 per cent). In contrast with
full-time and part-time personnel, the
largest single percentage of volunteers was
assigned to the area of education (38 per
cent).
Budget size is a key factor in the distribu-
tion of full-time and part-time personnel
among the various museum categories.
Museums with budgets of $1,000,000 and
over, which represent only five per cent of
all museums, employed almost half (45 per
cent) of the full-time personnel and ap-
proximately one-third (32 per cent) of the
part-time personnel. Museums with budgets
under $100,000, which account for a
sizable 63 per cent of all museums, em-
ployed only 15 per cent of the full-time and
24 per cent of the part-time employees.
Nearly two-thirds of the volunteers were
used by the 80 per cent of museums with
budgets under $250,000.
Sixty-three per cent of the full-time em-
ployees are men; 82 per cent are white.
The average annual salary of all full-time
employees in FY 1971-72 was $8,500: Pro-
fessionals earned an average of $11,500 and
nonprofessionals an average of $6,800.
The findings show that museum directors
are most often male, white, and 40 years of
age or older. Directors have had an average
of almost 17 years of experience in museum
or museum-related work and have been in
their current positions an average of just
over eight years. In FY 1971-72, the average
salary of museum directors was $14,100.
Eleven per cent earned less than $5,000;
nine per cent earned $25,000 or more.
Male directors earned almost twice as much
as women in this position, an average of
$16,000 compared with $8,800. One reason
for this difference in salary levels is the
high proportion of men among directors
of large budget museums.
No less than 47 per cent of the museum
directors reported the need for additional
staff in each of the five major job categories
examined. Curatorial, display, and exhibit
was the most understaffed, with 61 per cent
of the directors citing the need for addi-
tional staff in this area. While the majority
of directors felt that their museums' full-
time staff had adequate training, a sub-
stantially lower percentage considered the
salaries paid these employees adequate.
Assuming that sufficiently high salaries
could be offered, one-third of the museum
directors felt that it would be difficult to fill
certain jobs because of a lack of trained or
experienced personnel. Twenty-seven
per cent of the museums had formal in-
service training programs for their staffs,
and 14 per cent conducted training pro-
grams for museum personnel other than
those on their own staffs.
The types of museum personnel examined
in this chapter are defined as follows:
• Full-time employees — all permanent,
paid employees hired to work a minimum
of 20 hours per week for the entire year
or during the entire part of the year the
84
museum is open.
• Part-time employees — all paid employees
hired to work less than full-time or to
work only during peak periods of activity.
• Volunteers — individuals who contribute
their time, on a full-time or part-time
basis, to perform jobs that otherwise
would require the hiring of paid
personnel.
Professional staff positions are defined as
those requiring specialized training or ex-
perience and include personnel such as
curators, librarians, designers, and lecturers.
Nonprofessionals include personnel such as
those in custodial, security, and clerical
positions. (While definitions and examples
were provided, it was left to the respondents
to classify their museums' employees as
professional or nonprofessional. Conse-
quently, the classification of some positions
as professional or nonprofessional may
have varied from one museum to another.)
The first part of this chapter describes the
distribution of full-time, part-time, and
volunteer staffs — -both professional and
nonprofessional — among the following five
major job categories: ]
• Administration, including staffs of ad-
ministrative, financial, and membership
departments, and personnel working
in public relations, publications, and
libraries.
• Curatorial, display, and exhibit, includ-
ing staffs of all curatorial departments
(except education and research), display
and exhibition departments, and person-
nel involved in cataloguing, conservation/
preservation, horticulture, and animal
nutrition.
• Education, including directors of edu-
cation, docents, instructors for children
and adults, and workshop leaders.
• Research, including research curators,
research associates, laboratory techni-
cians, and archeologists.
• Operations and support, including
custodians, security personnel, sales
forces, packers, preparators, installers, and
animal attendants.
The chapter next examines the distribution
of the total work force by museum type,
budget size, and governing authority.
The second part of the chapter provides a
detailed examination of full-time personnel,
senior personnel, and museum directors.
For all of these employees, it discusses
certain characteristics — such as sex, ethnic
group, union membership, and education —
and FY 1971-72 salary levels. For senior
personnel and directors, it provides addi-
tional information on work experience and
job-related education. It also discusses the
major functions and responsibilities of
directors and the amount of time spent on
various activities. The chapter then exam-
ines the types of benefits and perquisites
offered employees, and the levels of mi-
nority employment in professional staff
positions. Finally, it describes the directors'
evaluations of the need for additional staff
in the five job areas and the adequacy of
staff training and salaries, and it reports on
the types of training programs conducted
by museums.
In the initial stages of the survey design,
it was suggested that comparisons be
made between museums and institutions of
higher education in areas such as personnel,
specifically salary levels. There are how-
ever a number of inherent problems that
make it difficult to insure valid compar-
isons: For example, the institutional struc-
tures of universities and colleges, and the
functions and relative positions of their
staffs, differ considerably from those of
many museums. Because of this and related
problems, it was decided not to attempt
any such comparisons in this survey.
1 If an employee's job involved work in more than
one category, he was to be classified in the category
in which the greatest portion of his time was spent.
85
Total Museum Work Force
Of the 113,300 individuals working in
museums in FY 1971-72, 27 per cent were
full-time paid employees, 16 per cent
part-time paid employees, and 57 per cent
volunteers. (Fig. 45, p. 85.) Thirty-eight per
cent of all full-time personnel were classi-
fied as professionals. There were fewer
professionals among part-time employees
(22 per cent) and among volunteers (15 per
cent).
Distribution of Personnel
by Job Categories
Full-Time Staff
Nearly half (45 per cent) of the 30,400
full-time paid employees - worked in op-
Figure 45
Total Museum Work Force, FY 1971-72
113,300
Base: Total museum personnel
Full-Time Paid
30,400
27%
Part-Time Paid
18,700
16%
Volunteer
64,200
57%
erations and support. Twenty-three per cent
worked in administration, 17 per cent in
curatorial, display, and exhibit, nine per cent
in education, and six per cent in research.
(Fig. 46, p. 86; Fig. 47, p. 88; Fig. 47A, p. 89.)
Professionals outnumbered nonprofessionals
in every job category except operations and
support, where eight out of nine employees
were nonprofessionals.
In each type of museum the largest single
percentage of full-time staff worked in
operations and support, and, except in
other combined museums, the second larg-
est percentage worked in administration.
In other combined museums, curatorial,
display, and exhibit accounted for a slightly
higher percentage of full-time staff than
administration. (Fig. 47, p. 88.)
Art/history museums had more full-time
staff assigned to education (19 per cent)
than any other museum type. Science
museums and other combined museums, all
of which have some emphasis on science,
had the highest proportions of full-time
staff working in research (nine and seven
per cent, respectively). This area accounted
for no more than three per cent of the
full-time employees in the other types of
museums. The proportions of full-time staff
working in curatorial, display, and exhibit
vary little with museum type, ranging be-
tween 15 per cent in science and art/history
and 23 per cent in other combined.
In all but the under $50,000 budget cate-
gory, the largest single percentage of full-
time staff worked in operations and sup-
port, and in all but the $1,000,000 and
over category, the second largest per-
centage worked in administration. In the
under $50,000 museums the largest per-
centage worked in administration, and in
2 By definition, museums included in this survey had
at least one full-time paid employee with academic
training or special knowledge relating to the major
subjects represented in the collection.
86
the $1,000,000 and over museums equal
percentages worked in curatorial, display,
and exhibit and in administration. (Fig. 47,
p. 88.) As museum budget size increases,
there is a corresponding increase in the pro-
portion of full-time staff involved in opera-
tions and support and a decrease in the
proportion involved in administration.
Budget size has no noticeable effect on the
proportions of full-time staff working in
curatorial, display, and exhibit, education,
or research.
Among governing authorities, educational
institution museums had the highest pro-
portion of full-time staff working in cura-
torial, display, and exhibit and the lowest
proportion working in operations and sup-
port. (Fig. 47A, p. 89.) In educational institu-
tion museums, some or all of the operations
Figure 46
Full-Time, Part-Time, and Volunteer
Personnel by Job Category
Base: Total museum personnel
Full-Time Paid
(30,400)
Part-Time Paid
(18,700)
Volunteer
(64,200)
23%
17%
45%
10%
10%
27%
.12%
15%
5% 1%
4%|
48%
45%
B
Administration
Professional
Nonprofessional
Curatorial, Display,
Exhibit
Professional
Nonprofessional
Education
Professional
Nonprofessional
Research
Professional
Nonprofessional
Operations and
Support
Professional
Nonprofessional
87
and support staff may be provided by the
parent institution. Educational institution
museums also had a slightly higher propor-
tion of full-time staff assigned to research
than government or private nonprofit mu-
seums.
Part-Time Staff
Eighty-four per cent of all museums em-
ployed part-time paid personnel in FY
1971-72. (Fig. 48, p. 90; Fig. 48A, p. 91.)
The percentage of museums with part-time
staff was consistently high in all museum
categories, rising to 92 per cent in educa-
tional institution museums and 93 per cent
in the $1,000,000 and over museums.
The distribution of the 18,700 part-time
employees among job categories roughly
parallels that of full-time staff, except that a
considerably lower proportion of part-time
staff was involved in administration (10 per
cent) and a higher proportion in education'
(27 per cent). (Fig. 46, p. 86; Fig. 48, p. 90;
Fig. 48A, p. 91.) Forty-eight per cent worked
in operations and support, 10 per cent in
curatorial, display, and exhibit, and five per
cent in research. Nonprofessionals outnum-
bered professionals in all job categories,
most notably operations and support where
the ratio was 15 to one.
The largest single percentages of part-time
staff in each museum type worked in op-
erations and support and in education. (Fig.
48, p. 90.) In other combined museums, 13
per cent of the part-time staff were assigned
to research, but in no other museum type
did this proportion rise above the six per
cent in science. The proportion of part-time
personnel working in administration was
noticeably higher in art (16 per cent) and
history (12 per cent) than in science, art/
history, or other combined museums (ap-
proximately six per cent each).
The proportion of part-time staff involved
in operations and support was highest in
the $1,000,000 and over museums, and the
proportion involved in administration was
highest in the under $100,000 categories.
(Fig. 48, p. 90.) Noticeable variations also
occurred in education, with the proportion
of part-time staff assigned to this area
ranging between 20 per cent in the
$1,000,000 and over museums and 39 per
cent in the $250,000 to $499,999 museums.
Operations and support accounted for the
largest single percentage of part-time
employees in the three major governing au-
thorities. (Fig. 48A, p. 91.) Well over half (61
per cent) of the government museums' part-
time staff worked in this area, compared
with 44 per cent in private nonprofit and 33
per cent in educational institution museums.
(Of all museum categories, municipal-county
museums had the highest proportion, 75 per
cent, of part-time personnel assigned to
operations and support.) In private nonprofit
and in government museums, education
accounted for the second largest percent-
age (33 and 16 per cent, respectively) of
part-time staff.
Volunteers
Nearly two-thirds (60 per cent) of all mu-
seums used full-time or part-time volunteers
in FY 1971-72. (Fig. 49, p. 92; Fig. 49A, p. 93.)
A higher percentage of art museums (74
per cent) than of any other museum type
used volunteers. More than half of the mu-
seums in all budget categories reported
volunteers, increasing from 57 per cent of
the under $50,000 museums to 77 per cent
of the $500,000 to $999,999 and to 63 per
cent of the $1,000,000 and over museums.
Among governing authorities, the percent-
age of museums that used volunteers was
highest in private nonprofit museums (72
per cent).
Of the 64,200 volunteers serving in mu-
seums, the largest single percentage (38 per
cent) worked in education. This is in
marked contrast to full-time and part-time
personnel, the largest single percentages of
which worked in operations and support.
88
Figure 47
Number and Distribution of Permanent Full-Time Paid Personnel,
by Museum Type and Budget Size
Base: Total full-time paid personnel
<r
^
Ǥ>
Total number of
full-time paid personnel
30,400
7,900
5,400
9,000
2,700
5,400
2,600
1,900
3,700
4,200
4,200
13,800
%
%
%
0/
/o
0/
/o
%
% ■
0/
/o
%
%
%
%
Administration
Professional
Nonprofessional
23
12
11
25
13
12
27
16
11
18
9
9
23
12
11
22
11
11
38
27
11
36
23
13
26
15
11
23
12
11
20
9
11
17
7
10
Curatorial, Display, and Exhibit
Professional
Nonprofessional
17
11
6
16
10
6
17
10
7
15
9
6
15
8
7
23
16
7
19
12
7
14
12
2
17
11
6
19
13
6
16
10
6
17
10
7
Education
Professional
Nonprofessional
9
6
3
8
6
2
12
4
8
6
4
2
19
12
7
9
6
3
9
4
5
10
7
3
9
5
4
11
8
3
9
5
4
9
6
3
Research
Professional
Nonprofessional
6
4
2
1
1
*
3
2
1
9
6
3
2
1
1
7
5
2
4
2
2
1
1
*
3
2
1
4
3
1
4
3
1
7
5
2
Operations and Support
Professional
Nonprofessional
45
5
40
50
5
45
41
5
36
52
5
47
41
3
38
39
5
34
30
4
26
39
8
31
45
7
38
43
6
37
51
4
47
50
4
46
*Less than 0.5%
89
Figure 47A
Number and Distribution of Permanent Full-Time Paid Personnel,
by Governing Authority
Base: Total full-time paid personnel
/
t
*
£
i
£
^
J
./
^~
^
■Sj
<& «?
<£ ^
^
Total number of
full-time paid personnel
30,400
18,300
10,200
2,400
3,200
4,600
1,900
1,100
800
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
Administration
Professional
Nonprofessional
Curatorial, Display, and Exhibit
Professional
Nonprofessional
Education
Professional
Nonprofessional
Research
Professional
Nonprofessional
Operations and Support
Professional
Nonprofessional
23
12
11
17
11
6
9
6
3
6
4
2
45
5
40
23
12
11
16
10
6
11
7
4
4
3
1
46
4
42
20
10
10
18
11
7
7
4
3
6
4
2
49
6
43
23
10
13
17
10
7
10
6
4
11
8
3
39
5
34
22
17
12
9
10
8
22
13
13
9
9
4
11
4
6
2
5
2
8
1
5
1
3
*
37
65
6
7
31
58
25
14
11
27
18
9
9
5
4
9
7
2
30
4
26
21
33
12
18
9
15
23
31
15
21
8
10
10
5
5
3
5
2
10
10
7
8
3
2
36
21
4
4
32
17
"Less than 0.5%
90
Figure 48
Number and Distribution of Part-Time Paid Personnel,
by Museum Type and Budget Size
Base: Total part-time paid personnel
s?
Total number of
part-time paid personnel
18,700
3,800
4,400
4,900
1,500
4,100
2,500
2,100
3,400
3,000
1,900
5,800
Percentage of museums with
part-time paid personnel
84
87
82
84
85
83
71
88
89
91
90
93
%
%
0/
/o
%
%
%
%
0/
/o
0/
/o
%
%
%
Administration
Professional
Nonprofessional
10
3
7
16
4
12
12
5
7
6
1
5
7
2
5
5
1
4
15
8
7
17
5
12
7
2
5
8
3
5
8
1
7
7
*
7
Curatorial, Display, and Exhibit
Professional
Nonprofessional
10
3
7
8
5
3
10
2
8
6
1
5
10
2
8
15
2
13
10
3
7
7
3
4
10
2
8
12
5
7
9
2
7
10
2
8
Education
Professional
Nonprofessional
27
12
15
33
26
7
24
3
21
23
9
14
41
17
24
26
12
14
24
9
15
29
12
17
28
16
12
39
11
28
32
16
16
20
11
9
Research
Professional
Nonprofessional
5
1
4
1
1
*
2
*
2
6
2
4
4
1
3
13
2
11
2
*
2
5
1
4
13
2
11
4
1
3
5
1
4
3
1
2
Operations and Support
Professional
Nonprofessional
48
3
45
42
7
35
52
3
49
59
1
58
38
1
37
41
2
39
49
3
46
42
7
35
42
3
39
37
8
29
46
*
46
60
*
60
*Less than 0.5%
91
Figure 48A
Number and Distribution of Part-Time Paid Personnel,
by Governing Authority
Base: Total part-time paid personnel
^
/
/
#
^
Jt
J?
/
£
«*
Total number of
part-time paid personnel
Percentage of museums with
part-time paid personnel
18,700
84
11,900
84
4,900
80
1,000
87
1,900
74
2,000
81
1,900
92
1,000
90
900
87
fa
o/
fa
o/
fa
fa
o/
fa
fa
o/
fa
o/
fa
%
Administration
Professional
Nonprofessional
Curatorial, Display, and Exhibit
Professional
Nonprofessional
Education
Professional
Nonprofessional
Research
Professional
Nonprofessional
Operations and Support
Professional
Nonprofessional
10
3
7
10
3
7
27
12
15
5
1
4
48
3
45
10
2
8
10
3
7
33
17
16
3
1
2
44
2
42
9
4
5
10
2
8
16
5
11
4
1
3
61
5
56
16
10
6
3
*
3
18
4
14
1
1
62
5
57
4
i
3
17
2
15
22
6
16
6
1
5
51
3
48
8
3
5
5
2
3
10
4
6
2
*
2
75
7
68
10
3
7
14
5
9
21
4
17
22
2
20
33
2
31
11
3
8
14
4
10
32
2
30
15
1
14
28
*
28
9
3
6
15
7
8
10
7
3
30
4
26
36
4
32
"Less than 0.5%
92
Figure 49
Number and Distribution of Volunteers,
by Museum Type and Budget Size
Base: Total volunteers
Total number of
volunteers
Percentage of museums
with volunteers
64,200
60
23,900
74
17,700
53
9,700
59
3,600
61
9,300
59
15,200
57
10,800
59
14,500
62
7,100
63
8,000
77
8,600
63
0/
/o
%
%
%
%
%
%
0/
/o
%
0/
/o
0/
/o
%
Administration
Professional
Nonprofessional
Curatorial, Display, and Exhibit
Professional
Nonprofessional
Education
Professional
Nonprofessional
Research
Professional
Nonprofessional
Operations and Support
Professional
Nonprofessional
16
1
15
7
2
5
38
10
28
2
1
1
37
1
36
24
1
23
5
2
3
30
7
23
1
*
1
40
2
38
14
1
13
6
1
5
46
20
26
3
1
2
31
*
31
9
2
7
8
2
6
43
9
34
5
3
2
35
1
34
10
2
8
7
2
5
36
2
34
1
*
1
46
1
45
12
2
10
7
1
6
39
5
34
3
2
1
39
2
37
24
4
20
9
2
7
33
7
26
4
1
3
30
2
28
15
1
14
4
*
4
42
29
13
2
1
1
37
1
36
18
1
17
4
1
3
23
3
20
1
*
1
54
*
54
16
1
15
10
6
4
46
7
39
2
*
2
26
4
22
8
*
8
2
*
2
54
6
48
2
1
1
34
*
34
10
1
9
11
3
8
46
12
34
5
4
1
28
*
28
♦Less than 0.5%
93
Figure 49A
Number and Distribution of Volunteers,
by Governing Authority
Base: Total volunteers
/
/
/
,^
/
<C
:$
V
?
$
•>5> 8?
^
Total number of
volunteers
64,200
47,800
13,400
1,100
2,000
10,300
3,000
2,200
800
Percentage of museums
with volunteers
60
72
41
53
28
47
56
60
51
%
0/
/o
%
%
%
%
%
0/
/o
%
Administration
Professional
Nonprofessional
16
1
15
18
2
16
12
*
12
1
1
*
9
*
9
14
*
14
10
*
10
5
5
26
1
25
Curatorial, Display, and Exhibit
Professional
Nonprofessional
7
2
5
7
2
5
3
*
3
14
2
12
'5
*
5
2
2
7
1
6
5
1
4
13
1
12
Education
Professional
Nonprofessional
38
10
28
37
12
25
41
4
37
74
1
73
51
7
44
36
3
33
36
11
25
30
13
17
54
5
49
Research
Professional
Nonprofessional
2
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
7
7
1
*
1
1
*
1
2
*
2
1
*
1
3
*
3
Operations and Support
Professional
Nonprofessional
37
1
36
36
1
35
42
*
42
4
1
3
34
1
33
47
*
47
45
3
42
59
3
56
4
*
4
•Less than 0.5%
94
Thirty-seven per cent of the volunteers
worked in operations and support, com-
pared with the 45 and 48 per cent, respec-
tively, of full-time and part-time personnel
involved in this area. (Fig. 46, p. 86; Fig. 49,
p. 92; Fig. 49A, p. 93.) Sixteen per cent of
the volunteers worked in administration,
seven per cent in curatorial, display,and
exhibit, and two per cent in research. The
number of volunteers classified as non-
professionals exceeded the number classi-
fied as professionals in all job areas but
research, where the proportions were equal.
The largest percentages of volunteers in
each museum type worked in education and
in operations and support. (Fig. 49, p. 92.)
Administration accounted for a consider-
ably higher proportion of volunteers in art
museums (24 per cent) than in the other
types of museums. The proportions of
volunteers assigned to curatorial, display,
and exhibit and to research are within each
museum type similar to those in all
museums.
Among budget categories, the proportion of
volunteers working in administration gener-
ally decreases with size from 24 per cent in
the under $50,000 museums to 10 per cent
in the $1,000,000 and over museums. But,
unlike full-time personnel, there is no cor-
responding increase on this scale in the pro-
portion of volunteers working in operations
and support. Education accounted for larger
percentages of volunteers in the $250,000
and over museums than in the under
$250,000 museums. (Fig. 49, p. 92.)
In the three major governing authorities, the
largest percentages of volunteers were used
in education and in operations and support.
Education accounted for 41 per cent of the
volunteer staff in government museums,
37 per cent in private nonprofit museums,
and 36 per cent in educational institution
museums. The proportion of volunteers
working in operations and support was
slightly higher in government and educa-
tional institution museums than in private
nonprofit museums. (Fig. 49A, p. 93.)
Of all museum categories, federal museums
had the highest proportions of volunteers
working in education (74 per cent) and
curatorial, display, and exhibit (14 per cent),
and, along with private educational insti-
tution museums, the lowest proportion
(four per cent) working in operations and
support.
Distribution of Personnel
by Museum Categories
Budget Size
Budget size to a great extent determines the
way in which the full-time and part-time
work force distributes among the various
museum categories. Museums with budgets
of $1,000,000 and over, which represent
only five per cent of all museums, em-
ployed nearly half (45 per cent) of the
30,400 full-time personnel and approxi-
mately one-third (32 per cent) of the 18,700
part-time personnel. In sharp contrast,
museums with budgets under $100,000,
which account for 63 per cent of all mu-
seums, employed only 15 per cent of the
full-time and 24 per cent of the part-time
personnel. (Fig. 50, p. 95.)
Budget size has much less of an effect on
the distribution of volunteers. Nearly
two-thirds of the 64,200 volunteers were
used by the 80 per cent of all museums
with budgets under $250,000: 24 per cent
worked in the under $50,000 museums, 17
per cent in the $50,000 to $99,999 museums,
and 23 per cent in the $100,000 to $249,999
museums. The remaining 36 per cent of the
volunteers distribute almost equally among
the three larger budget categories, which
represent 20 per cent of all museums.
Museum Type
Art and science museums, which together
account for 35 per cent of all museums but
64 per cent of the $1,000,000 and over
95
museums, employed more than half of the
full-time work force. Twenty-six per cent of
the full-time employees worked in art and
29 per cent in science. (Fig. 51, p. 96.)
History and other combined museums each
employed 18 per cent of the full-time
personnel and art/history museums nine per
cent. There were less marked variations in
the distribution of part-time staff among
museum types. While art/history museums
employed eight per cent of the part-time
personnel, the remaining museum types had
an almost equal share of these employees,
ranging between 20 per cent in art and 26
per cent in science.
More than one-third (37 per cent) of all
volunteers worked in art museums. This was
substantially greater than these museums'
share of either full-time or part-time per-
sonnel. The next largest percentage (28 per
cent) of volunteers served in history
Figure 50
Full-Time, Part-Time, and Volunteer
Personnel by Budget Size
Base: Total museum personnel
Full-Time Paid
(30,400)
Part-Time Paid
(18,700)
100% 9%
6%
12%
14%
14%
45%
0
13%
11%
18%
16%
10%
32%
Volunteer
(64,200)
24%
17%
23%
Under $50,000
$50,000-99,999
$100,000-249,999
$250,000-499,999
$500,000-999,999
$1,000,000 and Over
96
museums, followed by science (15 per
cent) and other combined (14 per cent).
Art/history museums used six per cent
of all volunteers.
In addition to the variations found when
examining the distribution of total full-time,
part-time, and volunteer personnel among
museum types, there also are interesting
differences in the staff composition within
each museum type. Although the total
number of employees varies widely, in each
type of museum volunteers account for the
largest single percentage of all personnel
and part-time staff for the smallest
percentage.3 (Fig. 52, p. 97.)
3 This breakdown of staff by full-time, part-time, and
volunteer employees is based solely on number of
employees and in no way indicates the relative con-
tributions of these individuals in terms of amount
of time worked or job responsibilities.
Figure 51
Full-Time, Part-Time, and Volunteer
Personnel by Museum Type
Base: Total museum personnel
Full-Time Paid
(30,400)
Part-Time Paid
(18,700)
Volunteer
(64,200)
100% 26%
18%
29%
9%
18%
0
20%
24%
26%
8%
22%
37%
28%
15%
6%
14%
97
More than two-thirds (67 per cent) of the
35,600 staff members of art museums were
volunteers. Twenty-two per cent were
full-time employees and 11 per cent
part-time. History museums, with a total of
27,500 employees, also had a high pro-
portion (64 per cent) of volunteers. Full-
time employees represented 20 per cent of
history museum personnel and part-time
employees 16 per cent. A different pattern
appears in the staff composition in science
museums. These museums, with 23,600
employees, had the highest proportion of
full-time staff (38 per cent) and the lowest
proportion of volunteers (41 per cent). The
remaining 21 per cent of the science mu-
seum employees were classified as part-
time. Art/history museums employed 7,800
personnel, of which 46 per cent were vol-
unteers, 35 per cent full-time employees,
and 19 per cent part-time employees. Of
the 18,800 personnel working in other
combined museums, 49 per cent were
volunteers, 29 per cent full-time employees,
and 22 per cent part-time employees.
Governing Authority
Private nonprofit museums, which account
for 56 per cent of all museums and 62 per
cent of the $1,000,000 and over museums,
Figure 52
Classification of Personnel
Within Museum Type
Base: Total museum personnel
Total museum personnel
113,300
1. 35,600
2. 27,500
3. 23,600
4. 7,800
5. 1 8,800
Full-time paid
Part-time paid
Volunteer
2. History
20%
16%
100%
67%
64%
3. Science
38%
21%
41%
4. Art/History
35%
19%
46%
5. Other Combined
29%
22%
49%
98
employed well over half of both the full-
time (60 per cent) and part-time (64 per
cent) personnel. (Fig. 53, p. 98.) Govern-
ment museums, representing 34 per cent of
all museums and 33 per cent of the largest
budget museums, employed 34 per cent of
the full-time and 26 per cent of the part-
time personnel. The smallest percentages of
full-time (six per cent) and part-time (10 per
cent) employees are found in educational
institution museums, which represent 10 per
cent of all museums and only five per cent
of the $1,000,000 and over museums.
Private nonprofit museums also accounted
for the great majority (74 per cent) of all
volunteers. Twenty-one per cent of the
volunteers worked in government museums,
with municipal-county museums alone
accounting for 16 per cent. Only five per
cent of all volunteers worked in educational
institution museums.
Figure 53
Full-Time, Part-Time, and Volunteer
Personnel by Governing Authority
Base: Total museum personnel
Full-Time Paid
(30,400)
Part-Time Paid
(18,700)
Volunteer
(64,200)
100% 60%
8%
11%
15%
3%
o 3%
64%
10%
11%
_
74%
1%
3%
16%
4%
1%
□
Private Nonprofit
Government
Federal
State
Municipal-County
Educational Institution
Public
Private
99
Full-Time Personnel
Characteristics
As part of its investigation of the museum
work force, the survey examined certain
characteristics of full-time personnel — sex,
ethnic group, union membership, and ed-
ucation. (Fig. 54, p. 100.) The findings show
that almost two out of three (63 per cent)
of the full-time personnel are men, with
this proportion slightly higher among
professionals (66 per cent) than among
nonprofessionals (61 per cent). The two
job categories in which women constitute
a majority of the full-time staff are adminis-
tration (59 per cent) and education (57
per cent). This, however, is largely because
a high proportion of the nonprofessionals in
these areas are women. The majority of
professionals in all job areas are men. The
division is closest in education, where men
represent 53 per cent of the professional
staff and women 47 per cent. The highest
proportion of men, both professionals and
nonprofessionals, is among operations
and support personnel.
A breakdown of total full-time personnel by
ethnic group shows that approximately
eight out of ten (82 per cent) are white.
Eleven per cent are Black and four per cent
of some other ethnic group such as Asian
American, Spanish American, or American
Indian. (This information was not reported
for the remaining three per cent.) Of the
professional full-time staff, six per cent
are Black or of some other ethnic group. In
none of the five job categories does this
percentage rise above the 12 per cent in
operations and support. There are more
(21 per cent) non-whites among nonpro-
fessionals, with this percentage highest (27
per cent) in operations and support.
A small percentage (16 per cent) of all
full-time personnel were members of a
union. Except for operations and support,
where 17 per cent of the professionals
belonged to a union, union enrollment was
concentrated almost exclusively among
nonprofessionals.
An examination of the educational back-
ground of all full-time employees shows
that 56 per cent have less than a bachelor's
degree. Eighteen per cent have a bachelor's
degree, and 11 per cent a master's degree
or doctorate. The great majority (71 per
cent) of nonprofessional personnel have less
than a bachelor's degree. Of professional
staff members, 26 per cent have less than a
bachelor's degree. Thirty-five per cent of
the professionals have a bachelor's degree
and 31 per cent a graduate degree, com-
pared with nine and one per cent, respec-
tively, of the nonprofessionals. Research
has, of all job areas, the highest proportion
(51 per cent) of professionals with a
graduate degree.
A comparison of the characteristics of
full-time staff in art, history, and science
museums shows the following:
• Science has the highest proportion of
men among full-time personnel, 72 per
cent compared with 60 per cent in art
and 57 per cent in history.
• Blacks and members of other ethnic
groups represent a higher proportion
of full-time personnel in art and science
(17 and 18 per cent, respectively) than
in history (eight per cent) museums.
• The only substantial union enrollment was
among nonprofessionals in art and sci-.
ence museums: approximately 27 per
cent of these museums' nonprofessional
full-time staff were union members, com-
pared with nine per cent in history.
• History museums have a slightly higher
proportion (59 per cent) of full-time
employees with less than a bachelor's
degree than either art or science museums
(51 per cent each). Nine per cent of the
full-time personnel in history museums
have a graduate degree, compared
with 14 per cent in art and 11 per cent
in science.
100
Figure 54
Characteristics of Permanent Full-Time Personnel by Job Category
Sex
Ethnic Group Union Membership
Education
Base: Total full-time paid personnel
v&
Jp
4"
iF
?c-
0/
/o
0/
/o
%
%
0/
/o
0/
/o
%
0/
/o
0/
h
0/
/o
0/
h
0/
/o
0/
/o
0/
/o
Total Personnel
30,400
63
37
82
11
4
3
16
69
15
56
18
8
3
15
Professional
11,000
66
34
91
3
3
3
6
81
13
26
35
22
9
8
Nonprofessional
19,400
61
39
75
16
5
4
21
63
16
71
9
1
*
19
Administration
Total
6,800
41
59
91
4
2
3
6
80
14
45
28
14
4
9
Professional
3,600
63
37
94
2
2
2
4
85
11
24
38
26
7
5
Nonprofessional
3,200
16
84
87
7
3
3
8
74
18
68
17
1
*
14
Curatorial, Display,
and Exhibit
Total
5,200
61
39
91
4
3
2
10
73
17
38
26
16
8
12
Professional
3,200
67
33
94
1
3
2
7
80
13
23
33
24
12
8
Nonprofessional
2,000
51
49
86
8
3
3
14
64
22
64
15
2
1
18
Education
Total
2,800
43
57
83
6
3
8
6
77
17
34
36
17
2
11
Professional
1,700
53
47
86
5
3
6
4
81
15
17
48
25
2
8
Nonprofessional
1,100
25
75
77
8
5
10
8
72
20
63
20
2
*
15
Research
Total
1,500
61
39
87
5
5
3
6
75
19
21
32
17
20
10
Professional
1,000
69
31
89
3
4
4
3
79
18
7
33
23
28
9
Nonprofessional
500
41
59
81
10
6
3
11
69
20
53
31
2
1
13
Operations and Support
Total
14,100
80
20
71
19
7
3
26
59
15
72
6
1
*
21
Professional
1,500
82
18
85
6
6
3
17
70
13
64
19
3
-
14
Nonprofessional
12,600
79
21
70
20
7
3
27
58
15
74
4
*
*
22
* Less than 0.5%
101
Figure 55
Average Annual Salary
of Full-Time Personnel,
FY 1971-72, by Museum Type
and Budget Size
Base: Total full-time paid personnel
H
Professional
Nonprofessional
All Museums
Art
History
Science
Art/History
Other Combined
Under
$50,000
$50,000-
99,999
$100,000-
249,999
$250,000-
499,999
$500,000-
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
$11,500
$11,900
$12,700
$11,700
$8,100
$9,200
$10,400
$11,200
1 3,600
Salary Levels
In FY 1971-72, the average annual salary of
all full-time personnel was $8,500: Profes-
sionals earned an average of $11,500, and
nonprofessionals an average of $6,800. (Fig.
55, p. 101; Fig. 55A, p. 102.) Fifty-one per
cent of the professionals earned $10,000 or
more, compared with seven per cent of the
nonprofessionals; 39 per cent of the pro-
fessionals earned from $5,000 to $9,999,
while 65 per cent of the nonprofessionals
had salaries in this range.
Budget size is the clearest determinant of
salary levels. The average annual salary for
all full-time personnel increases from
$6,300 in museums with budgets under
$50,000 to $9,300 in those with budgets of
$1,000,000 and over. Professionals earned
$8,100 in the under $50,000 museums, com-
pared with $13,600 in the $1,000,000 and
over museums. Nonprofessional staff salaries
increased on this scale from $4,400 to
$7,300. (Fig. 55, p. 101.)
Among museum types, average salaries for
all full-time staff were highest in other com-
bined museums ($9,100), followed closely by
science museums ($9,000) and art mu-
seums ($8,900). Art/history and history
museums had the lowest salary levels
($7,400 and $7,000, respectively). The aver-
age pay for professionals ranged between
$9,700 in history and $12,700 in science
museums; for nonprofessionals it ranged
between $5,500 in history and $7,200 in
art, science, and other combined museums.
Among governing authorities, average
salaries for full-time personnel were
$8,000 in private nonprofit, $9,100 in
government, and $9,700 in educational in-
stitution museums. In private nonprofit
museums, professionals earned $10,900 and
nonprofessionals $6,400; in government
museums, the respective figures were
$12,400 and $7,400 and in educational in-
stitution museums, $12,300 and $7,200.
(Fig. 55A, p. 102.) Federal museums had
102
Figure 55A
Average Annual Salary of Full-Time
Personnel, FY 1971-72,
by Governing Authority
Base: Total full-time paid personnel
I
All Museums
Private
Nonprofit
Government
Federal
State
Municipal-
County
Educational
Institution
Public
Private
11,500
$10,900
$6,400
$12,400
10,700
$7,400
$12,300
$12,900
$1 1 ,700
Professional the highest salary levels, both for profes-
Nonprofessionai sionals and nonprofessionals, of any mu-
seum category, the average annual salary
of all full-time personnel in these museums
was $11,700, with professionals earning
$16,500 and nonprofessionals $8,500.
Senior Personnel
The survey examined in some detail the
senior staff members of museums. The
description of senior personnel was re-
stricted to job responsibility and was not
based on length of time served in the
current position. It was left to the director
to determine which staff members, other
than himself, should be classified as senior
personnel. Each director then was asked a
series of questions about himself and about
$16,500 the three senior positions he considered
most important to the museum. Information
was obtained on job tenure and work ex-
perience, formal and museum-related ed-
ucation, as well as certain employee char-
acteristics (age, sex, ethnic group, union
membership) and salary levels. With the ex-
ception of the following job descriptions
of senior personnel, all data discussed in this
section on senior personnel include the
director as a senior staff member. More
detailed information on museum directors
is found on pp. 107-13.
Eighty-nine per cent of the museums have
senior personnel other than the director.
The highest percentage of museums re-
ported senior personnel among admin-
istrative professionals (58 per cent) and cura-
torial, display, and exhibit professionals
(57 per cent). The next largest percentages
of museums reported senior personnel
among operations and support nonprofes-
sionals (25 per cent), administrative non-
professionals (24 per cent), and education
professionals (22 per cent). Six per cent
of the museums reported senior personnel
among operations and support and re-
search professionals. No more than one
per cent have senior personnel among non-
103
professionals in curatorial, display, and
exhibit, education, and research.
Characteristics
The majority (85 per cent) of all senior
personnel, including the director, were
full-time paid employees; and 10 per cent
were part-time paid staff. Five per cent
were full-time or part-time volunteers. Most
of the senior personnel in each of the job
categories were full-time paid staff. Volun-
teer representation was highest among
professionals in administration and research
(10 per cent each), followed closely by
directors, eight per cent of whom were
volunteers.
Nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) of all senior
personnel are men. Women, representing
38 per cent of senior personnel, accounted
for the majority of senior employees in
two job categories: administrative non-
professionals, 96 per cent of whom are
women, and education professionals, 52 per
cent of whom are women. Approximately
two out of five of the senior professional
employees in administration (43 per cent),
curatorial, display, and exhibit (41 per cent),
and research (42 per cent) are women. The
proportion of women is lowest among
directors (28 per cent) and among opera-
tions and support nonprofessionals (23
per cent) and professionals (10 per cent).
Budget size has a marked effect on the
proportions of men and women among
senior staff. More than half (54 per cent) of
the senior personnel in the under $50,000
museums are women, but this drops to
eight per cent in the $1,000,000 and over
museums. The ratio of men to women in
art, history, and other combined mu-
seums is similar to that in all museums. In
science, a higher than average proportion
(81 per cent) of all senior personnel are
men; and in art/history, a higher than aver-
age proportion (50 per cent) are women.
Private nonprofit museums have a higher
proportion (45 per cent) of women in senior
positions than educational institution mu-
seums (33 per cent) or government museums
(29 per cent). Of all governing authorities,
federal museums have the lowest propor-
tion (21 per cent) of women in senior
positions.
The average age for senior personnel was
44.7 years. Thirty-six per cent were under 40
years of age, and another 46 per cent be-
tween 40 and 59 years of age. Eighteen per
cent of the senior employees were 60 or
more years old. Directors have the highest
average age level (48.8 years) of any job
category; the lowest levels are found among
research and education professionals (40.1
and 39.2 years, respectively). Within mu-
seum type, the average age of senior per-
sonnel is lowest in art (41.4 years) and
highest in art/history and history (47.8 and
47.6 years, respectively).
Ninety-six per cent of all senior personnel
are white, a somewhat larger proportion
than that for all full-time personnel. Two
per cent are Black and two per cent of
some other ethnic group. The only job
categories in which non-whites account
for as much as nine per cent of the senior
personnel are research professionals and
operations and support professionals.
Directors, 99 per cent of whom are white,
have the lowest proportion of non-whites of
any job category. There is little variation in
the ethnic affiliation of senior personnel
within museum type and governing author-
ity. The most substantial non-white repre-
sentation is in federal museums, where six
per cent of the senior personnel are Black
and six per cent of some other ethnic group.
Only six per cent of all senior personnel
were members of a union, with this mem-
bership concentrated largely among opera-
tions and support professionals (14 per cent)
and nonprofessionals (12 per cent). Within
museum type the incidence of union
enrollment is highest in science and other
combined museums, where approximately
104
Figure 56
Senior Personnel: Years of Experience in
Museum or Related Work and Years in
Current Position, by Job Category*
Base: Total senior personnel
Average number of years
in current position
Average number of years
of experience
Years
Total Senior
Personnel
Director
Administrative
Professional
Personnel
Administrative
Nonprofessional
Personnel
Curatorial, Display, and
Exhibit Professional
Personnel
Education
Professional
Personnel
Research
Professional
Personnel
Operations and
Support Professional
Personnel
16.7
11.6
10.1
10.6
6.9
14.8
^^^"
6.0 11.4
^^^
Operations and
Support Nonprofessional
Personnel
*Due to the very small number of senior personnel classified as curatorial, display, and exhibit,
education, and research nonprofessionals, these job categories are not covered in this figure.
10 per cent of the senior personnel be-
longed to a union. Union enrollment among
senior personnel was somewhat higher in
government museums (10 per cent) than in
educational institution (five percent) or
private nonprofit (three per cent) museums.
Work Experience and Education
As a group, senior personnel have had an
average of 12.9 years of experience in
museum or museum-related work, with 6.6
of these years spent in their current posi-
tions. (Fig. 56, p. 104.) Directors have had
the longest average number of years ex-
perience (16.7), as well as the longest job
tenure (8.1 years). Operations and support
professionals follow, with an average of
14.8 years spent in museum or museum-
related work and 6.9 years in their current
positions. Education professionals, who as
noted previously are relatively younger in
age than other senior personnel, have had
the shortest average number of years of ex-
perience (8.4) and, except for administrative
nonprofessionals, the shortest job tenure
(5.4 years). Among museum types, the total
work experience of senior personnel ranges
from an average of 14.4 years in science
to 11.7 years in history. The average number
of years spent in current positions ranges
from 7.8 in science to 5.7 in art.
Thirty-three per cent of the senior staff
members have a bachelor's degree. An
almost equal percentage have either a mas-
ter's degree (23 per cent) or a doctorate
(nine per cent). The remaining 35 per cent
have less than a bachelor's degree. The
proportion of senior personnel with a
graduate degree is highest among directors
(49 per cent) and research professionals (45
per cent). Research professionals have
the highest proportion of senior personnel
with a doctorate, 23 per cent compared with
16 per cent of directors. In other job
categories, the proportion of senior person-
nel with a graduate degree (primarily a
master's degree) ranges between 37 per cent
among curatorial, display, and exhibit pro-
105
fessionals and three per cent among admin-
istrative nonprofessionals.
Art museums have the highest proportion
(45 per cent) of senior personnel with a
graduate degree. Although a somewhat
lower proportion (37 per cent) of senior
personnel in science museums have a
graduate degree, these museums have more
individuals with doctorates (16 per cent)
than any other museum type. The incidence
of graduate degrees is lowest in history
museums, where 19 per cent of the senior
personnel have a master's degree and only
five per cent a doctorate, and in art/history
museums, where 21 per cent have a mas-
ter's and six per cent a doctorate. History
and art/history museums also have the
highest proportions (44 and 40 per cent,
respectively) of senior personnel with less
than a bachelor's degree.
According to directors, 65 per cent of the '
museums' senior personnel have had
formal education directly related to their
jobs.4 The highest incidence of job-related
educaton is found among directors (75
per cent), followed closely by education
professionals (73 per cent), curatorial, dis-
play, and exhibit professionals (70 per cent),
and research professionals (69 per cent). In
the remaining job categories, the percent-
age of senior personnel with job-related
education ranges from 29 per cent among
operations and support nonprofessionals to
59 per cent among administrative profes-
sionals. Within museum type, art and
science have the highest proportions (76
and 77 per cent, respectively) of senior
personnel with job-related education, and
history and art/history the lowest (54 and
58 per cent, respectively). Sixty-five per cent
of the senior personnel in other combined
museums have had formal education related
to their jobs.
Responses indicate that the formal educa-
tion of senior personnel is related more to
subject areas of the museum than to ad-
ministrative areas. Of the 65 per cent of
senior personnel with formal job-related
education, 21 per cent have studied science,
14 per cent studio arts, 12 per cent art
history, and eight per cent history. Un-
derstandably, there is a direct correlation
between the educational background of em-
ployees and the types of museums in which
they work. The percentage of senior per-
sonnel that have studied science rises to 62
per cent in science museums, the per-
centage that have studied studio arts to 28
per cent in art museums, and the per-
centage that have studied art history to 24
per cent in art and 20 per cent in art/his-
tory museums. The percentage of senior
personnel that have concentrated in history
rises to 24 per cent in history museums.
Twelve per cent of the senior personnel
have had formal job-related education in
museum administration, and only eight per
cent have studied finance, business, and
accounting. Even among directors and ad-
ministrative professionals these percentages
are not noticeably high: Nineteen per cent
of the directors and eight per cent of the
administrative professionals have studied
museum administration; eight per cent of
the directors and 18 per cent of the ad-
ministrative professionals have studied fi-
nance, business, and accounting. The pro-
portion of senior personnel with formal
education in finance, business, and ac-
counting is, in fact, higher among admin-
istrative nonprofessionals (29 per cent) than
among directors or administrative profes-
sionals.
Salary Levels
In FY 1971-72, the average annual salary of
all senior personnel was $10,600. (Fig. 57,
4 It was left to the director to decide what consti-
tutes "formal education that directly relates to the
job". Thus, responses represent the director's own
evaluation of the level of education among the mu-
seum's senior personnel.
106
All Museums
Men
Women
Figure 57
Average Annual Salary of
Senior Personnel, FY 1971-72,
by Museum Type and Budget Size
Base: Full-time and part-time paid senior personnel
$10,600
$12,900
Art
History
Science
Art/History
Other Combined
Under
$50,000
$50,000-
99,999
$100,000-
249,999
$250,000-
499,999
$500,000-
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
$12,200
$8,500
$13,200
$9,800
$10,400
$6,700
$8,700
$11,300
$14,300
$16,900
n
$23,900
p. 106; Fig. 57A, p. 107.) Thirty-six per cent
of these employees earned between $5,000
and $9,999 and 20 per cent less than $5,000.
Forty-four per cent had salaries of $10,000
and over, but only four per cent earned
$25,000 or more. Particularly striking is
the fact that men in senior positions
earned almost twice as much as women in
senior positions — $12,900 compared with
$6,900.
Directors had the highest average annual
salary ($14,100) of any senior personnel.
Research professionals follow, with an aver-
age salary of $12,300. Curatorial, display, and
exhibit professionals, who had an average
annual salary of $9,800, earned less than
administrative professionals ($10,100) and
operations and support professionals
($11,000), and just slightly more than ed-
ucation professionals ($8,400). The lowest
salary levels for senior personnel were
among nonprofessionals in operations and
support ($7,500) and in administration
($5,000).
The average annual salary for senior person-
nel increases steadily with budget size,
from $6,700 in the under $50,000 museums
to $16,900 in the $500,000 to $999,999
museums and to $23,900 in the $1,000,000
and over museums. (Fig. 57. p. 106.) Men
earned an average annual salary of $8,200
in the under $50,000 museums, increasing
to $24,700 in the $1,000,000 and over
museums; salaries earned by women in-
crease on this scale from $5,400 to $15,100.
Senior personnel earned an average annual
salary of $13,200 in science museums and
$12,200 in art museums, compared with
only $8,500 in history museums. (Fig. 57,
p. 106.) Senior staff members in educational
institution museums earned an average
salary of $12,400, compared with $10,900 in
government museums and $10,100 in pri-
vate nonprofit museums. (Fig. 57A, p. 107.)
The highest average salary levels of any
governing authority ($13,600) were found
in federal museums.
107
All Museums
Men
Women
Figure 57A
Average Annual Salary of
Senior Personnel, FY 1971-72,
by Governing Authority
Base: Full-time and part-time paid senior personnel
1 0,600
$12,900
Directors
Characteristics
Eighty-six per cent of the museum direc-
tors were full-time paid employees, while
six per cent were part-time paid personnel
and eight per cent full-time or part-time
volunteers. Within museum type and
budget size, the proportion of directors
that were full-time drops below 90 per cent
in only three categories: history (81 per
cent), art/history (83 per cent), and the
under $50,000 museums (76 per cent). In
these categories, from 11 to 15 per cent
of the directors were full-time or part-
time volunteers.
Private
Nonprofit
Government
Federal
State
Municipal-
County
Educational
Institution
Public
Private
$10,100
$10,900
$13,600
$10,500
$10,200
$12,400
$12,500
$12,200
Seventy-two per cent of the museum
directors are men. (Fig. 58, p. 108.)
Science has, of all museum types, the
highest proportion (91 per cent) of male
directors and art/history the lowest (57 per
cent). Except in the under $50,000 mu-
seums, where there are relatively even
numbers of men and women serving in this
position, the majority of directors in all bud-
get categories are men. The proportion of
women in this position drops sharply as bud-
get size increases, from 46 per cent in the
under $50,000 museums to no more than
four per cent in any of the budget cate-
gories of $250,000 and over. Men account
for a higher proportion of directors in
educational institution museums (83 per
cent) than in government (79 per cent) or
private nonprofit (66 per cent) museums.
The average age of museum directors was
48.8 years. Twenty-seven per cent were under
40 years of age. Fifty-one per cent were be-
tween the ages of 40 and 59, and the
remaining 22 per cent 60 or more years old.
Within museum type, the average age for
directors ranges from 44.7 years in art to
50.9 years in art/history. There is little varia-
tion within governing authority or budget
size, except that the proportion of directors
under 40 years of age does decrease notice-
108
Figure 58
Characteristics of Directors
Base: Total museum directors
^
£>
S>
S
O)
V5-
*S
<=v
.^
A
£<
■$£'
.$■■$> '
N\,
«/«?o
'C^
o/
/o
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
0/
/o
%
Sex
Male
Female
Age
Under 30
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
70 and over
Average age
Ethnic Group
White
Black
Other
Union Membership
Member of union
Not member of union
72
28
19
23
28
16
6
48.8
99
1
5
95
78
22
9
27
28
23
11
2
44.7
97
2
1
3
97
65
35
8
18
19
27
19
9
50.4
99
1
4
96
91
7
24
21
34
14
47.1
99
1
7
93
57
43
8
15
23
26
17
11
50.9
98
2
3
97
75
25
10
12
26
31
12
9
49.8
99
*
10
90
54
46
12
13
17
29
18
11
50.7
99
1
6
94
75
25
10
30
19
23
15
3
45.4
96
3
1
5
95
90
10
5
28
25
25
14
3
47.0
97
1
2
4
96
98
2
2
15
40
31
9
3
48.1
99
1
4
96
96
4
17
37
30
15
1
49.1
99
1
6
94
98
2
9
38
36
17
50.7
99
1
9
91
66
34
10
18
19
30
17
6
48.8
100
*
*
3
97
79
21
9
20
26
21
16
8
48.6
98
2
9
91
83
17
21
31
32
12
4
49.0
97
2
1
4
96
*Less than 0.5%
109
Figure 59
Directors: Years of Experience in Museum or
Related Work and Years in Current Position
Base: Total museum directors
Years
Average number of years
in current position
Average number of years
of experience
n
All Museums
Art
History
Science
Art/History
Other Combined
Under
$50,000
$50,000
99,999
$100,000
249,999
$250,000-
499,999
$500,000
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
8.1
16.7
^^^^
6.3
16.6
^^^
6.9
13.6
^^^m
19.3
11.2
17.3
21.8
22.4
ably from 25 per cent in the under $50,000
museums to nine per cent in the $1,000,000
and over museums.
With the exception of federal and private
educational institution museums, where
non-whites account for a respective nine
and seven per cent of directors, the nation's
museums are headed almost exclusively
by whites. Ninety-nine per cent of all
museum directors are white.
Five per cent of all museum directors be-
longed to a union. Only in state museums
does the proportion of directors who
were union members rise above one in
ten.
Work Experience and Education
Directors have had an average of almost
17 years of experience in museum or
museum-related work and have been in
their current positions an average of just
over eight years. (Fig. 59, p. 109.) Of all
museum types, directors of other combined
museums have had the longest experience
in the field (20.6 years) and directors of
art/history museums the longest job tenure
(11.2 years). Science museum directors
follow in both field experience (19.3 years)
and job tenure (9.8 years). In contrast,
history museum directors have had the
least experience in museum or museum-
related work (13.6 years) and art museum
directors the shortest job tenure (6.3 years).
As the budget size of the museum increases
there is a corresponding increase in the
total number of years the director has spent
in the field, from 14.6 in the under $50,000
museums to 22.4 in the $1,000,000 and
over museums. While directors of the
largest budget museums do have more years
of experience, the number of years spent in
current positions is not noticeably greater
than that for directors of the smallest bud-
get museums (8.5 years in the $1,000,000
and over museums compared with 8.1
years in the under $50,000 museums).
110
Twenty-eight per cent of the directors have
a bachelor's degree, 33 per cent a master's
degree, and 16 per cent a doctorate.
Twenty-three per cent have less than a
bachelor's degree. Approximately two-thirds
of the directors of art (66 per cent) and of
science (64 per cent) museums have a
graduate degree, compared with 38 per cent
of the history museum directors. A respec-
tive 40 and 46 per cent of the directors
of art/history and other combined museums
have a graduate degree. The proportion
of directors with a graduate degree
increases with budget size, from 36
per cent in the under $50,000 museums
to 72 per cent in the $1,000,000 and
over museums. Conversely, the proportion
with less than a bachelor's degree decreases
on this scale, from 33 per cent to five per
cent.
Three out of four directors reported
that they have had some type of formal
education directly related to their jobs.
While more than 80 per cent of the direc-
tors of art, science, and other combined
museums have had formal job-related
education, this percentage drops slightly to
a respective 63 and 69 per cent in history
and art/history museums. The only budget
category in which less than 80 per cent of
the directors have had formal job-related
education is the under $50,000 museums
(66 per cent). Among governing authorities,
the proportion of directors with job-related
education reaches its highest level in edu-
cational institution museums, 92 per cent
compared with 74 per cent in both private
nonprofit and government museums.
(Eighty-eight per cent of the directors of
federal museums have had job-related
education, contrasted with 74 per cent of
the state and 68 per cent of the municipal-
county museum directors.)
Salary Levels
The average salary of museum directors in
FY 1971-72 was $14,100. (Fig. 60, p. 111;
Fig. 60A, p. 111.) Sixty-six per cent earned
$10,000 or more in this period, with only
nine per cent earning $25,000 or more.
Twenty-three per cent earned between
$5,000 and $9,999. Eleven per cent of the
museum directors earned less than $5,000.
Men were paid almost twice as much as
women, an average $16,000 compared with
$8,800. (The high proportion of men among
directors of large budget museums is one
reason for this difference in salary levels.)
Directors earned an average of $9,000 in the
under $50,000 museums; salaries increased
steadily to $24,500 in the $500,000 to
$999,999 museums and to $33,200 in the
$1,000,000 and over museums. In these
largest budget museums, 39 per cent of the
directors earned $35,000 or more. This
compares with only three per cent in the
next largest budget category, $500,000 to
$999,999, and two per cent in the $250,000
to $499,999 category. None of the directors
in the under $250,000 museums earned as
much as $35,000. The average salaries for
directors of science and art museums were
$17,900 and $16,600, respectively. The next
highest salary levels were in other combined
($13,500) and art/history ($12,500) museums.
History museums paid the lowest salaries
($11,600) of any museum type.
Among governing authorities, average
salaries of directors were higher in educa-
tional institution museums ($16,500) than in
government and private nonprofit museums,
both of which paid $13,800. Public educa-
tional institution and federal museums paid
the highest average salaries ($17,700 and
$17,400, respectively) of any governing
authority. (Fig. 60A, p. 111.)
Functions and Responsibilities
Directors were asked to describe their
major functions and responsibilities and
to select from a list of eight activities the two
they thought should be their first or second
most important responsibilities. Directors
then were asked how much time they
actually spend on each of the eight activities.
111
Figure 60
Average Annual Salary of Directors,
FY 1971-72, by Museum Type
and Budget Size
Base: Full-time and part-time paid
museum directors
Figure 60A
Average Annual Salary of Directors,
FY 1971-72,
by Governing Authority
Base: Full-time and part-time paid
museum directors
All Museums
Men
Women
$14,100
$16,000
All Museums
Men
Women
$14,100
$16,000
Art
History
Science
Art/History
Other Combined
Under
$50,000
$50,000-
99,999
$100,000-
249,999
$250,000-
499,999
$500,000-
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
$16,600
t
1 1 ,600
$1 7,900
$12,500
500
$13,
■ $9,0C
0
$12,800
$16,300
$19,400
■ $24,500
Private
Nonprofit
Government
Federal
State
Municipal-
County
Educational
Institution
Public
Private
$13,800
$13,800
$17,400
$13,000
$13,000
$16,500
$17,700
$15,200
$33,200
112
In describing their major functions and
responsibilities, the largest single percentage
(50 per cent) of the directors mentioned
administration and office work. Forty-four
per cent reported that they have complete
responsibility for everything. Forty per cent
of the directors cited responsibility for
maintaining relations with the community
or city, and 34 per cent supervision of
staff. Construction and display of exhibits —
the first non-administrative function to
appear on the list — was described as a
major responsibility by just under one-third
(30 per cent) of all directors. Supervision
of educational work was considered a major
function by 25 per cent, maintenance and
care of the collection by 24 per cent, re-
sponsibility for formulation of and con-
formity to the museum's financial plan by
23 per cent, responsibility for acquisitions
for the collection by 22 per cent, and or-
ganization of activities such as classes, tours,
and lectures by 21 per cent.
Twenty-two per cent of the directors
mentioned liaison with trustees and donors
as one of their major responsibilities, and
a lower 13 per cent mentioned raising funds
and maintaining relations with donors.
The other activities described by directors
as major responsibilities were: serving
in a curatorial capacity (17 per cent); main-
tenance of building and grounds (16 per
cent); research on the collection (15 per
cent); receiving and cataloguing gifts/mate-
rials( eight per cent); concern for the mu-
seum's future development (eight per cent);
and providing artistic and creative leader-
ship (six per cent).
Some noteworthy differences appear when
the directors' descriptions of functions are
compared by museum type, budget size,
and governing authority. Construction and
display of exhibits was cited as a major
responsibility by more directors of art and
other combined museums (45 and 41 per
cent, respectively) than of art/history (26
per cent), history (22 per cent), or science
(20 per cent). Responsibility for acquisitions
for the collection and providing artistic and
creative leadership also were considered
relatively more important by directors of art
and other combined museums. Maintenance
and care of the collection and maintenance
of buildings and grounds were considered
major responsibilities by larger percentages
of history museum directors (29 and 22 per
cent, respectively) than of directors of sci-
ence museums (19 and 11 per cent, re-
spectively) or art museums (17 and seven
per cent, respectively). The relatively large
number of small budget museums in the
history category and the inclusion in this
category of historic sites and museum vil-
lages— where buildings and grounds
themselves often are an integral part of
exhibitions — may account partially for this
variation.
Among budget sizes, the percentages of
directors that cited liaison with trustees and
donors and raising funds and maintaining
relations with donors as major functions
was highest in the $250,000 and over
museums. In contrast, directors of the under
$250,000 museums gave relatively more
emphasis to construction and display of
exhibits, maintenance and care of the
collection, and organization of activities
such as classes, tours, and lectures.
Directors of educational institution mu-
seums view their responsibilities somewhat
differently than those of other governing
authorities. For example, relatively few of
these directors considered any one of the
following a major function: administration
and office work (39 per cent, compared
with approximately 53 per cent in private
nonprofit and in government museums);
responsibility for maintaining relations with
the community or city (27 per cent, com-
pared with approximately 43 per cent in
private nonprofit and in government);
maintenance and care of the collection (16
per cent, compared with approximately 25
per cent in private nonprofit and in gov-
113
ernment); and maintenance of buildings
and grounds (four per cent, compared with
approximately 18 per cent in private non-
profit and in government).
Responsibility for acquisitions for the collec-
tion and construction and display of ex-
hibits were cited as important functions by
more directors of educational institution
museums (44 per cent in each case) than
of private nonprofit museums (21 and 30
per cent, respectively) or government
museums (16 and 26 per cent, respectively).
Despite the fact that more than half of
the government museums have a board of
trustees, a relatively small number (11 per
cent) of directors of government museums
considered liaison with trustees and donors
a major responsibility. This compares with
28 per cent in private nonprofit museums —
93 per cent of which have boards — and 22
per cent in educational institution museums'
— 40 per cent of which have boards. Raising
funds and maintaining relations with donors
also was considered a major function by a
lower percentage of directors of government
museums (four per cent) than of private
nonprofit (17 percent) or educational insti-
tution (21 per cent) museums.
community activities (four per cent) ; and
participation in outside organizations (one
per cent).
Most directors appear to be spending their
time in those areas they feel should be of
highest priority. (Fig. 61, p. 114.) Eighty-four
per cent reported that they spend a great
deal of time on administrative and staff
responsibilities, and 53 per cent a great deal
of time on policy and planning for collec-
tions and exhibitions. (Less than five per
cent of the directors spend no time on
either of these activities.) Although dealing
with trustees and advisory committees
ranked third on the list of priority respon-
sibilities, directors actually spend somewhat
less time in this area than they do working
on collections and exhibitions and working
in their own museum-related specialty.
More than one-third (38 per cent) of the
directors reported that they spend no time
on fund raising, an activity that ranked
among the lowest on the list of directors'
priority responsibilities. Only 15 per cent
spend a great deal of time on fund raising;
47 per cent spend some or little time on this
activity. (The survey did not investigate the
extent to which other staff members might
be involved in fund raising.)
Directors were given a list of eight specified
activities and were asked which two they
thought should be their first or second most
important responsibilities. Nearly eight out
of ten (78 per cent) singled out administra-
tive and staff responsibilities as among the
two most important. (Fig. 61, p. 114.) Fifty-
seven per cent cited policy and planning
for collections and exhibitions. Twenty-one
per cent of the directors selected dealing
with trustees and advisory committees as
their first or second most important func-
tion, and 17 per cent cited work on collec-
tions and exhibitions. No more than one
out of ten chose any one of the remaining
activities on the list: work in own museum-
related specialty (10 per cent); fund raising
(eight per cent); personal participation in
Employee Benefits and Perquisites
Directors were asked the extent to which
their full-time paid employees were covered
by health and medical insurance, a retire-
ment or pension plan, and life insurance.
Responses show that health and medical
insurance existed for all of these employees
in 70 per cent of the museums and for some
in five per cent. In almost all of the $100,000
and over museums, every full-time em-
ployee was covered. The proportion of
museums providing coverage drops sharply
in the smaller museums, especially the
under $50,000 where in 42 per cent of the
museums none of these employees was
covered.
114
Figure 61
Directors' Evaluations of Importance of
Activities and Time Spent on Activities
Base: Total museum directors
A great deal
Some or little
None at all
Percentage of Directors Considering Activity
as First or Second Most Important Responsibility
100%
78%
17%
10%
Administrative and
staff responsibilities
Policy and planning for
collections and
exhibitions
Work on collections
and exhibitions
Work in own museum-
related specialty
Dealing with trustees
or advisory committee
!' ! Personal participation
in community activities
I
I
n
Fund raising
1%1 Participation in
outside professional
organizations
20%
Time Spent on Activity
84% 14% 2%
53% 43% 4%
38%
54%
8%
25% 51%
24%
67% 13%
115
Retirement or pension plans were available
for all full-time personnel in 59 per cent of
the museums and for some in six per cent.
The percentage of museums offering this
type of benefit for all of these employees
decreases from 93 per cent in the
$1,000,000 and over group to 42 per cent
in the under $50,000.
Life insurance was made available less often
than the other benefits, with 45 per cent of
the museums offering it for all full-time em-
ployees and five per cent for some. Among
budget sizes, the percentage of museums
offering life insurance for all of these
employees decreases from 83 per cent in
the $1,000,000 and over category to 25 per
cent in the under $50,000. The survey did
not investigate the adequacy of insurance
coverage and pension plans. However,
it is significant that in some museums,
especially those with small budgets, none
of the employees was offered any of these
basic benefits.
Levels of coverage for all three kinds of
employee benefits are slightly higher in
science than in the other types of museums.
Among governing authorities, coverage
is noticeably lower in private nonprofit
museums than in government or
educational institution museums. For ex-
ample, 56 per cent of the private nonprofit
museums offered health and medical in-
surance to all of their full-time paid em-
ployees and six per cent to some, compared
with a respective 89 and seven per cent
of the educational institution museums and
a respective 85 and four per cent of the
government museums. Federal museums
have the highest coverage levels of any
governing authority, particularly for
health, medical, and life insurance which
were offered to all full-time paid employees
in at least 95 per cent of these museums.
Directors were asked which of ten given
perquisites were offered or made available
to any of the museum staff. Almost half (47
per cent) of the museums offered none of
the perquisites. Twenty-two per cent of-
fered free or reduced-cost housing and 19
per cent paid sabbatical or research leave.
Less than 10 per cent of the museums
offered any of the remaining perquisites,
including tuition for family members,
spouse's travel expenses, and free legal or
accounting services. According to the
directors, perquisites are offered primarily
to senior staff members, including directors.
Except in the case of free or reduced-cost
housing, other staff members usually are
not included.
Budget size is a significant factor, with the
percentage of museums offering no per-
quisites markedly higher in the under
$50,000 museums (52 per cent) than in the
$1,000,000 and over (23 per cent). Fifty-
three per cent of the government and 46 per
cent of the private nonprofit museums
offered none of the perquisites, compared
with 30 per cent of the educational institu-
tion museums. This is a reflection of the large
percentage of educational institution mu-
seums that offered paid sabbatical or
research leave (54 per cent) and tuition for
family members (40 per cent).
Minority Employment
Directors were asked if their museums had
made any special efforts since 1966 to
broaden minority employment in profes-
sional staff positions, and if they felt that
their museums had adequate representation
of minority groups in these positions. Ac-
cording to the responses, one out of four
(25 per cent) of the museums had made
special efforts to broaden minority em-
ployment. Seventy-two per cent reported
that no special efforts had been made, and
three per cent were not sure.
Responses varied little within museum type,
with the percentage of museums that had
made special efforts ranging from 20 per
cent in art/history to 30 per cent in other
116
combined museums. The incidence of
special efforts increases with budget size,
from 16 per cent in the under $50,000
museums to 48 per cent in the $500,000 to
$999,999 museums and to a substantial
67 per cent in the $1,000,000 and over
museums. Among governing authorities,
special efforts to increase minority
employment were made more frequently
by educational institution (36 per cent) and
government (33 per cent) museums
than by private nonprofit museums (19 per
cent). Federal museums, 69 per cent of which
reported efforts to increase minority em-
ployment, had the highest incidence of
special efforts of any museum category.
Thirty per cent of state and 21 per cent
of municipal-county museums had made
special efforts to increase minority em-
ployment.
Directors divided almost equally on the
question of adequate representation of
minority groups at the professional level in
their museums. Forty-four per cent felt that
representation was adequate; 45 per cent
felt that it was not. (Eleven per cent were
not sure.) There is a direct correlation
between the percentage of museums that
had made special efforts to broaden
minority employment and the percentage
that considered minority representation
inadequate. This is seen most clearly within
budget size. The under $50,000 category,
which had the lowest proportion of muse-
ums that had made special efforts, also
had the lowest proportion (36 per cent) that
considered representation inadequate.
Conversely, the $1,000,000 and over cate-
gory, with the highest proportion of
museums making special efforts, had the
highest proportion (62 per cent) considering
representation inadequate.
The 45 per cent of directors who felt that
minority representation was not adequate
were asked if their museums had any
plans for broadening representation at the
professional staff level. Thirty-two per
cent responded that such plans did exist,
64 per cent had no plans, and four per
cent were not sure. The most marked varia-
tions in responses to this question occur-
red among budget sizes: The percentage
of directors responding that their museums
had plans for broadening minority
representation increased from 10 per
cent in the under $50,000 museums to 72
per cent in the $1,000,000 and over
category. Among governing authorities,
two-thirds of the directors of federal
museums reported plans for broadening
representation, but in no other category
did this percentage rise above the 37 per
cent in state museums.
Responses to the preceding questions on
minority employment in professional staff
positions do not suggest necessarily that
smaller museums are indifferent to ade-
quate minority representation. These mu-
seums have fewer staff positions to fill and,
in addition, are more likely to be located
outside of major urban areas where many
minority groups are concentrated.
Need for Additional Staff
For each of the five major job areas exam-
ined in the survey, no less than 47 per
cent of the museum directors reported the
need for additional staff. Curatorial, display,
and exhibit was the most understaffed, with
61 per cent of the directors citing the need
for additional personnel in this area. Edu-
cation was second on the list (57 per cent),
followed by operations and support (53 per
cent), administration (52 per cent), and
research (47 per cent).
In art museums, almost equal numbers of
directors expressed the need for additional
staff in curatorial, display, and exhibit (66
per cent), administration (66 per cent), and
operations and support (65 per cent). In
science museums, the need for staff was
greatest in education (67 per cent), cura-
117
torial, display, and exhibit (66 per cent), and
operations and support (63 per cent). The
percentages of directors citing the need for
additional staff in each of the job areas was
lowest in history and art/history. In history
museums, the areas most in need of addi-
tional staff were curatorial, display, and
exhibit (55 per cent) and education (52 per
cent). The areas most frequently cited in
art/history museums were operations and
support (52 per cent), curatorial, display,
and exhibit (48 per cent), and education (47
per cent). The largest percentage of direc-
tors of other combined museums reported
the need for additional personnel in cura-
torial, display, and exhibit (69 per cent) and
education (68 per cent). Other combined
museums had, of all museum types, the
highest proportion (62 per cent) of directors
that cited research as an understaffed area.
There is no consistent pattern within budget
size or governing authority in the per-
centage of directors citing the need for
additional staff. In each of the job areas,
needs generally were lower in museums
with budgets under $100,000. Nevertheless,
in none of the six budget categories did the
percentage of directors reporting the need
for additional personnel in any job area fall
below 40 per cent.
Except in the area of education, directors
of government museums expressed the need
for additional staff less frequently than
directors of museums within the other gov-
erning authorities. Fifty-eight per cent of the
government museum directors cited educa-
tion as an area requiring additional staff
and 55 per cent curatorial, display, and
exhibit. In private nonprofit museums, the
areas of greatest need were curatorial,
display, and exhibit (62 per cent), adminis-
tration (59 per cent), and education
(58 per cent). The most understaffed areas
in educational institution museums
were curatorial, display, and exhibit (72
per cent) and operations and support (62
per cent).
For each job area, directors who had
indicated the need for additional staff were
asked to focus on the specific types of
personnel needed within that category.5
In the curatorial, display, and exhibit area
the primary need, cited by 61 per cent
of the directors responding, was for exhibi-
tion/display personnel. Forty-two per
cent specified curatorial staff, 34 per cent
cataloguers, and 32 per cent conservation/
preservation personnel. (Fig. 62, p. 120.)
Of those directors who cited the need for
more education personnel, the largest single
percentage (28 per cent) specified instruc-
tors and teachers. (Fig. 63, p. 121.) Twenty-
three per cent mentioned the need for
department heads to coordinate school
programs, which is particularly interesting
since the survey findings show that in
many cases the level of cooperation between
museums and schools in planning and de-
veloping school programs is minimal. Other
types of personnel needed in the education
area were instructors for children (18 per
cent), docents (16 per cent), workshop lead-
ers (12 per cent), and guides (11 per cent).
The primary staff needs in operations and
support were for security guards and cus-
todians, mentioned by a respective 45 and
40 per cent of the directors responding.
(Fig. 64, p. 122.) Following this are
building maintenance personnel (18 per
cent), preparators (14 per cent), gardeners
and grounds attendants (12 per cent), in-
stallers and exhibit technicians (12 per
cent), and sales personnel (11 per cent).
Directors expressed the need for a variety
of personnel in the administration area. (Fig.
65, p. 123.) Thirty-six per cent cited the
need for public relations director/staff, 29
per cent a publications chief, 28 per cent
5 Research was excluded because the responses were
not specific enough to divide the category by types
of personnel.
118
clerical/secretarial staff, 24 per cent a
librarian, and 22 per cent a financial officer/
business manager.
Adequacy of Staff Training
and Salaries
In addition to inquiring about the need for
additional staff, the survey sought the
directors' opinions on the adequacy of
academic and/or other training of full-time
staff, other than senior personnel. Directors
also were asked if they thought salaries paid
these staff members were adequate or
were, in fact, too low to attract the kinds of
individuals needed by the museum.
For each job area, a substantial number of
directors of museums with full-time staff
primarily assigned to that category con-
sidered employee training adequate. This
ranged between 72 per cent in the area of
operations and support and 87 per cent in
administration. The percentage of directors
that considered salaries adequate was sig-
nificantly lower, ranging between 42 per
cent in administration and 58 per cent in
research.
In all but a few museum categories, the
percentage of directors that considered
training adequate surpassed the percent-
age of directors that considered salaries
adequate. Exceptions occurred in federal
museums, art/history museums, and public
educational institution museums. In federal
museums, 78 per cent of the directors
considered salaries of operations and sup-
port personnel adequate, but a lower
76 per cent considered training adequate.
Ninety-seven per cent of federal museum
directors thought that both training
and salaries of education personnel were
adequate. Sixty-seven per cent of
art/history and 100 per cent of public
educational institution museum directors
considered both training and salaries of
research personnel adequate.
For every job area but research, the per-
centage of directors that considered salaries
adequate was higher in federal museums
than in any other museum category. In
research, the 87 per cent of federal museum
directors that considered salaries adequate
was exceeded only by the 100 per cent of
public educational institution museum
directors that felt this way.
Even assuming that sufficiently high salaries
could be offered, 34 per cent of all mu-
seum directors felt it would be difficult to
fill certain jobs because of a lack of trained
or experienced personnel. According to
these directors, the two kinds of personnel
that would be most difficult to find are
curators and exhibit/preparation specialists
(each cited by 22 per cent of these
directors), followed by conservators (13 per
cent) and education staff (12 per cent).
The only marked variations in responses to
this question occurred within budget size.
About half of the directors of the $250,000
and over museums felt that they would have
difficulty finding trained or experienced
personnel, compared with approximately
one-third in the under $250,000 museums.
Only 27 per cent of the directors reported
that their museums had formal in-service
training programs for the staff.0 Among
museum types, the percentage of museums
conducting such training programs is
highest in science (36 per cent), followed
by art/history (33 per cent), other com-
bined (32 per cent), history (25 per cent),
and art (17 per cent). The incidence of
in-service training programs increases
steadily with budget size, from 21 per cent
in the under $50,000 museums to 51 per
cent in the $1,000,000 and over museums.
Among governing authorities, these pro-
grams were conducted more frequently by
government (30 per cent) and private
G The survey did not investigate museum training
programs conducted by institutions other than mu-
seums.
119
nonprofit (27 per cent) museums than by
educational institution museums (18 per
cent). Of all museum categories, the in-
cidence of in-service training programs is
highest among federal museums (57 per
cent).
Even fewer museums conducted training
programs for museum personnel other than
those on their own staff. Moreover, in more
than half of the 14 per cent of museums that
did conduct such programs in FY 1971-72,
fewer than ten individuals completed the
course. Again, budget size is a factor, with
only seven per cent of the under $50,000
museums offering this type of training
program contrasted with 40 per cent of the
$1,000,000 and over museums. Art, although
having of all museum types the lowest
proportion of museums with in-service
training programs, had, along with other
combined museums, the highest proportion
(20 per cent) with programs for training
personnel other than those on the museum
staff. These programs were conducted least
frequently by history museums (eight per
cent). More educational institution museums
(26 per cent) than government (15 per cent)
or private nonprofit (12 per cent) museums
offered programs for training other museum
personnel. But, the proportion of educa-
tional institution museums offering either
in-service training or training for other
museum personnel seems relatively low
considering these museums' affiliation with
universities and colleges.
120
Figure 62
Job Areas in Which More Staff is Needed: Curatorial, Display, and Exhibit
Base: The 61% of museums that
need more curatorial, display,
and exhibit personnel
J°
«$
c
c
5C-
O
.&
r
,£> 'So
p £y
c?
0/
/o
0/
/o
%
%
%
%
All Museums
61
42
34
32
3
5
Art
55
42
37
37
_
6
History
70
21
43
38
5
4
Science
57
54
18
21
5
2
Art/History
38
46
28
23
8
13
Other Combined
67
58
31
27
*
6
Under $50,000
55
32
44
26
4
10
$50,000-99,999
66
40
36
31
2
3
$100,000-249,999
59
45
31
34
3
4
$250,000-499,999
80
47
19
45
3
2
$500,000-999,999
65
73
14
32
-
-
$1,000,000 and Over
51
58
20
35
7
2
Private Nonprofit
64
44
35
31
4
6
Government
63
32
33
38
4
3
Federal
50
21
48
71
-
-
State
78
31
36
38
5
-
Municipal-County
52
35
27
30
4
6
Educational Institution
43
50
33
18
-
7
Public
38
62
35
21
-
7
Private
55
30
27
14
7
*Less than 0.5%
121
Figure 63
Job Areas in Which More Staff is Needed: Education
Base: The 57% of museums that
need more education personnel
'*c
of
Sf
*
^
gs^ <°
^
>C-
^•' J?
O .87
'<?
S\
.O ,G
J? K
c-
5?
s^ o
Q
^
(J
f
a?
<c-s /c
S\
C?
-/
&£
0/
/o
%
All Museums
Art
History
Science
Art/History
Other Combined
Under $50,000
$50,000-99,999
$100,000-249,999
$250,000-499,999
$500,000-999,999
$1,000,000 and Over
Private Nonprofit
Government
Federal
State
Municipal-County
Educational Institution
Public
Private
28
22
28
41
26
23
28
14
25
44
51
37
30
27
33
27
24
25
37
9
23
39
16
21
20
26
13
37
35
18
15
25
26
21
11
21
26
18
10
30
18
13
26
19
5
12
15
18
19
20
21
20
12
29
42
20
29
10
10
9
%
8
5
13
10
1
5
5
7
11
13
11
11
7
12
18
16
6
2
4
<V
/o
16
15
16
12
29
16
23
12
7
19
25
7
16
16
20
22
10
17
14
21
0/
/o
%
0/
/o
0/
/o
0/
/o
12
9
12
14
19
14
8
9
17
11
7
13
11
12
15
8
2
11
3
18
10
4
9
15
7
9
15
4
2
8
15
12
18
15
13
12
15
8
5
10
7
9
7
8
11
3
9
7
6
11
17
8
11
5
12
4
1
3
8
2
3
2
2
3
4
2
2
3
3
5
10
12
6
9
8
9
9
5
6
5
9
13
11
11
6
11
6
6
4
9
10
12
8
10
13
12
10
7
19
4
6
9
11
8
3
7
10
13
14
12
122
Figure 64
Job Areas in Which More Staff is Needed: Operations and Support
Base: The 53% of museums
that need more operations
and support personnel
O
f
£&■
r c7
All Museums
Art
History
Science
Art/History
Other Combined
Under $50,000
$50,000-99,999
$100,000-249,999
$250,000-499,999
$500,000-999,999
$1,000,000 and Over
Private Nonprofit
Government
Federal
State
Municipal-County
Educational Institution
Public
Private
o/
/o
0/
/o
45
51
41
40
41
48
29
42
52
63
62
65
44
48
35
71
34
41
30
58
*Less than 0.5%
40
42
40
35
34
47
38
39
47
32
46
46
46
35
21
33
43
26
21
33
%
18
15
24
23
10
14
15
17
17
31
20
24
17
23
48
19
16
14
16
12
%
0/
/o
%
14
24
8
10
6
20
13
12
14
18
34
9
11
16
8
18
17
27
23
33
12
4
6
24
16
14
7
17
12
15
12
11
12
13
15
3
19
7
9
5
12
38
5
2
2
4
12
10
13
10
12
17
14
7
2
7
9
13
15
9
0/
/o
11
12
7
7
22
14
12
9
10
20
13
10
8
19
4
4
3
5
%
o/
/o
7
7
12
10
10
1
11
10
10
22
26
11
19
5
11
8
5
14
9
12
1
5
4
3
8
11
4
10
6
6
14
6
9
2
o/
/o
24
3
10
6
6
10
7
5
7
13
%
5
17
1
3
1
5
5
3
5
6
2
1
3
5
12
%
3
5
2
12
2
4
4
6
7
0/
/o
2
4
*
3
1
1
3
2
2
4
/o
3
4
8
8
7
1
7
4
6
3
2
5
9
15
123
Figure 65
Job Areas in Which More Staff is Needed: Administration
Base: The 52% of museums that
need more administrative
personne
%
0/
/o
%
0/
/o
/o
o/
/o
°/
/o
/o
%
%
0/
/o
0/
/o
0/
/o
All Museums
Art
History
Science
Art/History
Other Combined
Under $50,000
$50,000-99,999
$100,000-249,999
$250,000-499,999
$500,000-999,999
$1,000,000 and Over
Private Nonprofit
Government
Federal
State
Municipal-County
Educational Institution
Public
Private
36
34
37
39
21
38
31
44
27
46
43
36
34
44
33
47
48
27
25
28
29
26
31
30
24
29
30
26
27
28
45
30
31
27
20
19
36
22
15
30
28
22
29
37
18
31
28
31
23
41
26
11
25
31
22
50
23
37
42
32
24
23
28
26
25
15
25
13
27
28
38
26
28
19
35
11
17
11
17
6
22
22
17
26
21
26
14
19
22
40
28
36
23
20
15
39
10
15
19
12
16
23
12
15
17
14
13
17
17
17
23
15
23
3
3
4
7
4
10
11
16
8
13
1
11
16
19
17
15
9
12
6
11
16
18
19
18
6
7
9
6
9
11
4
5
2
6
13
10
3
5
3
6
3
4
13
2
9
2
6
3
4
4
6
4
5
5
10
4
2
4
7
7
5
3
6
5
3
4
2
4
3
2
3
4
6
2
9
4
3
5
4
4
4
4
3
4
2
6
4
1
10
3
3
7
1
10
4
16
12
17
8
14
13
11
4
20
16
19
30
11
12
9
12
14
16
21
12
124
Chapter 8
Facilities
125
Introduction
Two out of five museums are using primary
facilities at least 30 years old, with one in
five housed in buildings more than 50 years
old. Since their establishment, 59 per cent
of the museums have constructed separate
secondary facilities and 42 per cent have
completed major additions to and renova-
tions of existing structures. Still, the
findings suggest that a substantial num-
ber of museums occupy facilities that are
outmoded in terms of the museum's
ability to serve its public and perform
its educational and other functions. For
example, when asked to rate the adequacy
of various aspects of exhibition and
storage areas, less than half of the museums
for which the items were applicable rated
any aspect, except available exterior space,
as fully adequate. Other types of facilities —
including classrooms, libraries, and chil-
dren's galleries — also were considered less '
than fully adequate by a sizable percentage
of museums. When museums were asked
to cite specific facilities they do not have
but need, the one most frequently men-
tioned was facilities for the preservation,
restoration, or reconstruction of the
collection. And even among the more
than half that have such facilities, the great
majority considered them less than fully
adequate.
The information presented in this chapter
relates specifically to museum facilities
currently in use. The chapter deals first with
the construction of primary and secondary
structures and additions to or renovations
of these facilities. Following this is a
detailed investigation of the adequacy of
existing facilities, focusing primarily on
exhibition and storage areas, and the need
for certain other types of facilities.
Museum policy regarding the renting of
facilities also is discussed. The survey did not
inquire about dimensions of building
space. While the consultants thought this
information would be useful, they also
stressed the difficulty many museums
would have in supplying accurate — and
comparable — data.
Construction, Additions, Renovations
The construction of museum facilities
predictably follows a pattern similar to that
of the founding of these institutions — a
steady increase from 1900 to 1939, a drop
during the 1940's, and a rise again in the
1950's and 1960's. (Fig. 1, p. 2; Fig. 66,
p. 126.) Since 1950, however, construction
(or acquisition, if historic site) of primary
facilities presently in use has been sig-
nificantly greater than the founding of
museums. During this period, one-third
(33 per cent) of the museums were founded
but almost half (48 per cent) built new
primary facilities. Although it is possible
but unlikely that museums founded
after 1950 may have replaced their facilities,
the difference between the percentage
of museums founded and primary facilities
constructed indicates that approximately
15 per cent of today's museums were
founded prior to 1950 and also are
housed in facilities built since that date.
The proportion of museums that were es-
tablished before 1950 but have constructed
new primary facilities since then remains
relatively consistent within budget size and
governing authority. There are wide varia-
tions, however, within museum type and
region. About one-fifth (22 per cent) of
the science museums were founded before
1950 but have built primary facilities since
then, compared with 11 per cent of both
art and history museums. This percentage is
even lower (four per cent) in art/history,
but among other combined museums, all of
which have some emphasis on science,
it rises to 24 per cent. The differences are
even sharper for the approximately one
out of five art, history, and science museums
founded before 1900. While 22 per cent
of all science museums were founded
before that date, only four per cent are still
126
Figure 66
Construction Dates of
Primary Facilities*
Base: Total museums
Before
1900
1900-
1909
1910-
1919
1920-
1929
1930-
1939
1940-
1949
1950-
1959
1960-
1969
1970-
1972
Not sure of date
11%
4%
5%
7%
14%
10%
22%
23%
13%
1%
"Or acquisition dates if historic sites
housed in primary facilities built then.
Among art museums, 18 per cent were
founded before 1900 and 10 per cent are
still housed in primary facilities built then.
Twenty per cent of the history museums,
which include historic sites, were founded
in this same period, and a relatively high
18 per cent are still using primary facilities
built then.
Regional variations show that the Midwest
(24 per cent), followed by New England
and the Mountain Plains (17 per cent each),
have the highest proportions of museums
founded before 1950 but housed in primary
facilities built since then. This drops
sharply in the Southeast (nine per cent),
the Northeast (six per cent), and the
West (five per cent).
The period since 1950 also has been the
most active for construction of other
than primary facilities. A majority (59 per
cent) of all museums have constructed or
acquired separate facilities, with much of
the activity concentrated between 1960 and
1969.1 (Fig. 67, p. 127.) The percentage
of museums with separate facilities varies
most noticeably within museum type
and budget size. Almost two-thirds of the
history and science museums (65 per cent
each) have separate facilities, compared with
approximately 54 per cent of the art,
art/history, and other combined museums.
In history museums this results partly from
acquisition of historic sites and buildings,
and in science museums partly from
construction of specialized buildings at
zoos, planetariums, and aquariums. Among
budget sizes, the proportion of museums
with separate facilities predictably is higher
in the $1,000,000 and over museums (78 per
cent) than in the under $50,000 museums
(52 per cent).
1 The survey did not define primary and separate
facilities. Some examples of separate facilities would
be field research stations, workshops, or laboratories.
127
Figure 67
Construction Dates of
Separate Facilities*
Base: Total museums
Before
■ 3%
1900
u
1900-
■ '
1909
1
1910-
( 1 i<7,
1919
Q
1920-
■■■ 3%
1929
■
1930-
1 1 b''
1939
1940-
^^H 5<7t
1949
■
1950-
1 1
1959
L 1
1960-
1969
1970-
l
17
1972
1
Not sure of date
■ 2%
37%
D
No separate facilities
*Or acquisition dates if historic sites
Multiple response question;
percentages total more than 100.
41%
In addition to the construction of separate
facilities, directors were asked about major
additions to or renovations of facilities,
aside from the acquisition or renovation
of historic sites. Almost half (49 per cent)
of the museums have renovated existing
structures, and a slightly lower 42 per cent
have made additions to facilities. The
single most active year was 1972, when
11 per cent of the museums completed
renovations and seven per cent completed
additions.
Ownership
The buildings and space of the 34 per cent
of museums operated by a government
agency are with few exceptions owned by
the agency. The same is true, to a lesser
degree, of the small percentage of museums
governed by educational institutions. Own-
ership varies more widely among the 56
per cent of museums governed by private
nonprofit organizations: While the gov-
erning authority owns the facilities in the
majority (66 per cent) of these museums, the
remaining 34 per cent are housed in facili-
ties owned by other authorities, primarily
municipal, county, or state governments.
(Municipal governments alone own the facil-
ities of 18 per cent of all private nonprofit
museums.) Only a small percentage are
using facilities owned by groups such as
church organizations and private and
public universities or colleges.
In almost all cases, those private non-
profit museums that do not own their own
buildings and space are provided the fa-
cilities without charge; those that do own
their facilities usually own them outright
without a mortgage. However, consultants
have noted that although these museums
are free of rental or mortgage costs, they
often are responsible for utilities, main-
tenance, repairs, and remodeling, all of
which may necessitate sizable expenditures
by the museum.
128
Figure 68
Adequacy of Exhibition and Storage Areas
Base: Percentage of museums
for which item was applicable
o/
/o
%
0/
/o
%
%
%
%
0/
/o
%
%
%
%
%
%
Available exterior space
Exhibition (86%)
Fully adequate
Somewhat adequate
Barely adequate
Not adequate
Storage (62%)
Fully adequate
Somewhat adequate
Barely adequate
Not adequate
Available interior space
Exhibition (95%)
Fully adequate
Somewhat adequate
Barely adequate
Not adequate
Storage (79%)
Fully adequate
Somewhat adequate
Barely adequate
Not adequate
Lighting
Exhibition (94%)
Fully adequate
Somewhat adequate
Barely adequate
Not adequate
62
15
8
15
55
16
8
21
28
29
15
28
26
25
21
28
44
26
14
16
59
15
7
19
49
13
9
29
30
36
13
21
27
27
18
28
46
27
15
12
66
14
9
11
63
15
9
13
31
31
14
24
31
23
24
22
40
24
15
21
54
20
6
20
45
29
5
21
20
24
19
37
17
24
28
31
48
28
12
12
70
12
6
12
69
7
24
32
31
13
24
36
23
11
30
44
28
12
16
55
18
11
16
46
14
13
27
24
23
16
37
19
26
20
35
41
28
15
16
65
12
9
14
57
10
10
23
28
30
13
29
27
20
22
31
37
26
17
20
62
11
13
14
58
15
12
15
28
24
17
31
23
35
22
20
45
22
16
17
66
15
4
15
49
29
4
18
27
31
16
26
31
24
19
26
51
26
11
12
41
35
3
21
51
19
5
25
30
27
18
25
25
23
22
30
61
24
5
10
52
21
7
20
50
16
7
27
27
35
10
28
26
28
23
23
44
34
10
12
64
16
5
15
58
16
4
22
33
30
14
23
19
33
19
29
37
43
8
12
64
13
10
13
53
16
9
22
27
31
16
26
25
28
20
27
42
27
15
16
58
19
5
18
58
16
9
17
29
28
12
31
27
20
24
29
48
22
12
18
59
11
11
19
51
16
3
30
31
25
17
27
27
20
23
30
41
33
14
12
129
Figure 68 (cont'd)
Adequacy of Exhibition and Storage Areas
,-?>
Base: Percentage of museums
for which item was applicable
9)
<r
^
a
g
&9
o>
£<
Si
O)
.0.0/
>M
%
%
0/
/o
%
%
0/
/o
0/
/o
0/
/o
%
%
%
%
%
%
/o
Lighting (cont'd)
Storage (79%)
Fully adequate
44
48
39
44
51
43
34
49
51
55
54
50
41
50
39
Somewhat adequate
24
21
25
30
13
26
25
20
24
23
25
30
24
23
25
Barely adequate
14
14
15
13
10
15
17
18
10
8
7
6
13
13
20
Not adequate
18
17
21
13
26
16
24
13
15
14
14
14
22
14
16
Protection against
fluctuation and extremes
'
of temperature and humidity
Exhibition (93%)
Fully adequate
34
35
33
45
36
23
33
31
33
31
45
40
30
41
27
Somewhat adequate
20
22
16
24
20
27
14
24
26
30
27
26
20
20
22
Barely adequate
16
16
19
15
13
11
21
11
11
14
6
13
16
16
18
Not adequate
30
27
32
16
31
39
32
34
30
25
22
21
34
23
33
Storage (77%)
Fully adequate
32
36
28
42
32
24
31
28
31
34
42
37
29
37
28
Somewhat adequate
21
27
18
25
15
19
13
27
23
26
31
30
20
20
26
Barely adequate
15
12
17
13
8
21
19
18
9
12
6
7
16
15
13
Not adequate
32
25
37
20
45
36
37
27
37
28
21
26
35
28
33
Protection against
air pollution
Exhibition (93%)
Fully adequate
33
37
31
47
34
22
36
29
34
26
34
36
33
35
28
Somewhat adequate
23
27
20
21
27
28
19
23
26
29
35
26
22
23
31
Barely adequate
12
7
15
9
16
11
13
11
13
12
3
9
11
14
12
Not adequate
32
29
34
23
23
39
32
37
27
33
28
29
34
28
29
Storage (76%)
Fully adequate
34
41
30
37
30
31
35
28
31
39
41
30
33
33
39
Somewhat adequate
23
27
19
27
36
19
16
32
30
21
28
31
21
26
24
Barely adequate
12
9
13
12
4
16
14
11
8
11
6
15
12
12
9
Not adequate
31
23
38
24
30
34
35
29
31
29
25
24
34
29
28
130
Figure 68 (cont'd)
Adequacy of Exhibition and Storage Areas
Base: Percentage of museums
for which item was applicable
£>
£>
&
&
<s
O)
&"
&y
^
«?
S"
«\#
«s
W *v
/o
0/
/o
0/
/o
0/
/o
%
%
0/
/o
%
0/
/o
%
%
0/
/o
%
%
%
Protection against
mold and mildew
Exhibition (92%)
Fully adequate
Somewhat adequate
Barely adequate
Not adequate
Storage (77%)
Fully adequate
Somewhat adequate
Barely adequate
Not adequate
Protection against pests
Exhibition (94%)
Fully adequate
Somewhat adequate
Barely adequate
Not adequate
Storage (78%)
Fully adequate
Somewhat adequate
Barely adequate
Not adequate
Protection against fire
Exhibition (95%)
Fully adequate
Somewhat adequate
Barely adequate
Not adequate
39
27
11
23
41
24
10
25
45
31
9
15
41
29
12
18
45
31
10
14
47
24
10
19
52
22
7
19
59
21
5
15
56
22
6
16
54
27
9
10
32
30
10
28
35
24
11
30
41
33
11
15
34
33
15
18
44
31
7
18
48
26
11
15
40
28
13
19
38
34
14
14
34
30
16
20
45
35
8
12
43
26
14
17
33
35
5
27
49
32
5
14
42
34
5
19
54
15
13
18
38
25
11
26
43
20
11
26
42
33
8
17
43
23
13
21
33
41
17
9
39
26
10
25
39
23
10
28
47
27
8
18
39
26
14
21
44
31
7
18
34
28
14
24
38
28
10
24
45
27
12
16
41
29
8
22
51
25
15
9
41
26
13
20
42
24
8
26
45
32
13
10
48
24
15
13
39
32
15
14
40
34
5
21
43
20
13
24
28
52
7
13
28
50
7
15
36
42
8
14
54
24
8
14
51
27
8
14
57
31
4
8
54
28
7
11
56
26
6
12
52
22
12
14
50
21
9
20
46
35
9
10
49
22
12
17
53
31
6
10
41
24
9
26
41
25
9
25
48
26
9
17
41
27
12
20
46
31
9
14
38
32
12
18
40
26
10
24
39
39
10
12
39
34
12
15
46
27
13
14
36
29
18
17
43
16
14
27
48
28
10
14
47
21
11
21
40
40
6
14
131
Figure 68 (cont'd)
Adequacy of Exhibition and Storage Areas
Base: Percentage of museums
for which item was applicable
%
%
%
0/
/o
%
0/
/o
0/
/o
0/
/o
%
/o
0/
/o
0/
/o
0/
la
%
0/
/o
Protection against fire (cont'd)
Storage (79%)
Fully adequate
41
55
38
43
39
29
35
51
43
32
53
50
42
38
42
Somewhat adequate
28
23
29
26
27
34
28
23
25
41
22
30
24
34
29
Barely adequate
12
8
11
14
12
17
15
8
13
10
11
6
13
11
12
Not adequate
19
14
22
17
22
20
22
18
19
17
14
14
21
17
17
Protection against theft
r
Exhibition (95%)
Fully adequate
32
44
32
28
38
23
33
17
27
27
35
34
37
29
19
Somewhat adequate
33
32
34
31
27
35
31
25
36
39
45
43
30
36
39
Barely adequate
16
13
17
18
10
20
16
16
21
19
10
10
17
14
21
Not adequate
19
11
17
23
25
22
20
22
16
15
10
13
16
21
21
Storage (79%)
Fully adequate
40
58
40
28
32
33
40
45
41
27
43
44
44
34
40
Somewhat adequate
29
29
28
29
38
30
29
19
30
42
33
36
25
35
34
Barely adequate
14
3
15
18
8
22
15
13
11
19
16
7
14
14
11
Not adequate
17
10
17
25
22
15
16
23
18
12
8
13
17
17
15
Protection against vandalism
Exhibition (95%)
Fully adequate
23
24
26
18
28
14
27
21
17
17
21
24
26
21
10
Somewhat adequate
42
46
41
34
35
48
41
39
41
45
50
47
41
42
46
Barely adequate
13
15
12
18
13
13
10
13
18
21
13
15
12
15
16
Not adequate
22
15
21
30
24
25
22
27
24
17
16
14
21
22
28
Storage (79%)
Fully adequate
40
62
42
23
34
28
39
42
40
28
49
40
42
35
40
Somewhat adequate
31
28
28
34
31
40
29
25
35
43
28
39
30
34
33
Barely adequate
12
1
12
16
15
17
16
6
7
16
10
10
12
12
8
Not adequate
17
9
18
27
20
15
16
27
18
13
13
11
16
19
19
132
Exhibition and Storage Areas
In examining the adequacy of facilities, the
survey focused primarily on exhibition areas
and storage space for the collection, both
of vital importance to museums. Directors
were asked to evaluate the same ten
given aspects for both exhibition and stor-
age areas, rating each on a scale of fully
adequate, somewhat adequate, barely
adequate, or not adequate. Aside from
available exterior space, a minor considera-
tion in most museums (except zoos), less
than half of the museums for which the
items were applicable rated any aspect of
the exhibition or storage area fully ade-
quate. Moreover, even combining the fully
and somewhat adequate ratings indicates
that a significant number of the nation's
museums consider the present condition
of exhibition and storage areas unsatis-
factory. (Fig. 68, pp. 128-31.) Especially
since the museum's ability to serve its public
and perform its functions is tied closely
to the adequacy of its facilities, the need for
renovation or replacement of certain
facilities would appear to be serious in
many museums.
Available Exterior Space
• Exhibition (86 per cent)2: Earlier it was
noted that exterior space, whether related
to exhibition or storage areas, is a relatively
minor problem for most museums. Well
over half (62 per cent) rated exterior exhibi-
tion space fully adequate and another 15
per cent somewhat adequate. A low 15 per
cent considered it not adequate. Only in
the $250,000 to $499,999 budget category
did less than half rate exterior space fully
adequate, and this was partially offset
by the 35 per cent that considered it
somewhat adequate.
• Storage (62 per cent)3: More than half
(55 per cent) of the museums felt exterior
storage space was fully adequate, with
another 16 per cent rating it somewhat
adequate. Twenty-one per cent considered
it not adequate. A majority of the muse-
ums in each category gave this item a
fully adequate rating, except in art, science,
other combined, and the $100,000 to
$249,999 museums. But even in these
categories the ratings did not fall below
45 per cent.
Despite the fact that a large number of
directors considered their facilities less than
fully adequate, consultants found the
ratings of some aspects of exhibition and
storage areas surprisingly high. This,
according to the consultants, may be
partly attributable to a lack of generally
accepted standards in the field forjudging
the adequacy of facilities. Directors may
consider aspects of facilities adequate, but
may be unaware of existing or potential
problems.
Available Interior Space
• Exhibition (95 per cent): In contrast with
exterior space, available interior space
was considered one of the least adequate
aspects of both exhibition and storage areas.
A relatively low 28 per cent of the muse-
ums felt interior exhibition space was fully
adequate and an equal percentage rated
it not adequate. Twenty-nine per cent con-
sidered it somewhat adequate. Among
The directors' evaluations of each of the ten
given aspects — first in relation to the ex-
hibition area and then in relation to the
storage area — are treated below and in
Fig. 68, pp. 128-31.
2 The figures in parentheses represent the percentage
of total museums responding to each item.
3 Twenty per cent of all museums do not have
storage space for the collection. Thus, the response
base for each item in relation to the storage area
is lower than that for the exhibition area.
133
museum types, interior exhibition space was
of particular concern in science and other
combined museums where 20 and
24 per cent, respectively, rated it fully ade-
quate, but 37 per cent each rated it not
adequate.
• Storage (79 per cent): The ratings here
were almost identical to those given for the
exhibition area. Twenty-six per cent of the
museums considered interior space fully
adequate, while 28 per cent rated it not
adequate. It was considered somewhat
adequate by 25 per cent. Again, science and
other combined had the lowest ratings of
any museum type: only 17 and 19 per cent,
respectively, considered interior storage
space fully adequate.
Lighting
• Exhibition (94 percent): Although less
than half (44 per cent) of the museums
considered lighting fully adequate, the great
majority (70 per cent) felt it was fully or
somewhat adequate. Only 16 per cent rated
this item not adequate. In none of the
museum categories did the fully or some-
what adequate rating fall below 60 per cent.
• Storage (79 per cent): As with the exhi-
bition area, lighting in the storage area was
considered fully adequate by less than half
(44 per cent) of the museums, but the
majority (68 per cent) rated it either fully
or somewhat adequate. Eighteen per cent
rated it not adequate. The proportion of
museums rating this item fully or somewhat
adequate remained consistently high in
all categories, except the under $50,000
museums where the rating dropped slightly
to 56 per cent.
Protection Against Fluctuations and
Extremes of Temperature and Humidity
• Exhibition (93 per cent): While more than
half of the museums felt that protection
against fluctuations and extremes of tem-
perature and humidity was either fully
(34 per cent) or somewhat (20 per cent)
adequate, a relatively high 30 per cent
considered it not adequate. In several
categories this item was considered fully
or somewhat adequate by slightly less
than half of the museums: history (49 per
cent), the under $50,000 museums (47
per cent), and educational institution mu-
seums (49 per cent).
• Storage (77 per cent): The ratings here
were similar to those given for the exhibi-
tion area. Protection against temperature
and humidity changes was considered fully
adequate by 32 per cent of the museums
and somewhat adequate by 21 per cent,
but 32 per cent rated it not adequate.
The categories in which the fully or some-
what adequate ratings fell below 50 per
cent were: history (46 per cent), art/history
(47 per cent), other combined (43 per
cent), the under $50,000 museums (44
per cent), and private nonprofit museums
(49 per cent).
Protection Against Air Pollution
• Exhibition (93 per cent) : The response to
this item was similar to that for protection
against temperature and humidity changes.
While one-third (33 per cent) of the mu-
seums rated it fully adequate and another
23 per cent somewhat adequate, 32 per
cent rated it not adequate. The most in-
teresting variations occurred among mu-
seum types, with this item rated fully
adequate by a higher percentage of science
museums (47 per cent) than of art (37 per
cent) or history (31 per cent). It was
rated fully adequate by 34 per cent of
the art/history and 22 per cent of the
other combined museums.
• Storage (76 per cent) : Almost identical
ratings were given this item in relation to
the storage area. Thirty-four per cent of the
museums considered it fully adequate
134
and 23 per cent somewhat adequate; 31
per cent rated it not adequate. This type
of protection was considered fully adequate
by higher percentages of art and science
museums than of the other museum types.
were similar to those given for the exhibi-
tion area. Forty-one per cent of the
museums considered protection fully ade-
quate and 29 per cent somewhat adequate,
with 18 per cent rating it not adequate.
Protection Against Mold or Mildew
• Exhibition (92 per cent): Two-thirds of
the museums reported that protection
against mold or mildew was fully (39 per
cent) or somewhat (27 per cent) ade-
quate. Twenty-three per cent rated it
not adequate. The percentage of museums
rating this item fully or somewhat ade-
quate was higher in art and science (71
and 74 per cent, respectively) than in his-
tory (62 per cent). Approximately two-
thirds of the art/history (69 per cent) and
of the other combined (63 per cent)
museums gave this rating.
• Storage (77 per cent) : About two-thirds
of the museums considered protection
against mold or mildew in the storage area
fully (41 per cent) or somewhat (24 per
cent) adequate, while 25 per cent rated it
not adequate. Seventy-four per cent of
the art and 68 per cent of the science
museums rated protection fully or some-
what adequate, compared with 59 per cent
of history. These ratings in art/history and
other combined museums were 68 and 63
per cent, respectively.
Protection Against Pests
• Exhibition (94 per cent): Protection
against pests was considered one of the
more adequate aspects of the exhibition
area. Almost half (45 per cent) of the
museums rated it fully adequate and an-
other 31 per cent somewhat adequate. Only
15 per cent reported that protection was
not adequate.
• Storage (78 per cent): The ratings for
protection against pests in the storage area
Protection Against Fire
• Exhibition (95 per cent): The response to
this item was nearly identical to that for
protection against pests. The great major-
ity of museums rated it fully (45 per
cent) or somewhat (31 per cent) adequate,
while 14 per cent rated it not adequate.
• Storage (79 per cent) : Forty-one per cent
of the museums considered protection
against fire in the storage area fully ade-
quate and 28 per cent somewhat adequate.
Nineteen per cent rated it not adequate.
There were moderate differences within
museum type, with the percentage of
museums rating protection fully or some-
what adequate ranging between 63 per
cent in other combined and 78 per cent in
art.
Protection Against Theft
• Exhibition (95 per cent): About one-third
(32 per cent) of the museums reported that
protection against theft was fully adequate,
with another 33 per cent rating it some-
what adequate. Nineteen per cent rated it
not adequate. Protection against theft was
given a higher fully adequate rating in
art (44 per cent) than in history (32 per
cent) or science (28 per cent). Thirty-eight
per cent of the art/history and 23 per cent
of the other combined museums rated it
fully adequate.
• Storage (79 per cent): Museums appar-
ently are better protected against theft in
the storage area than in the exhibition area.
Protection was considered fully adequate
by 40 per cent of the museums and some-
what adequate by 29 per cent; 17 per cent
135
rated it not adequate. More than half
(58 per cent) of the art museums rated
protection against theft fully adequate,
contrasted with 40 per cent of history, 33
per cent of other combined, 32 per cent of
art/history, and 28 per cent of science.
Protection Against Vandalism
• Exhibition (95 per cent) : Only 23 per cent
of the museums rated protection against
vandalism fully adequate, although a sub-
stantial 42 per cent did consider it some-
what adequate. Twenty-two per cent rated
it not adequate. The fully adequate ratings
for protection against vandalism were con-
sistently low among museum types: 28 per
cent in art/history, 26 per cent in history, 24
per cent in art, 18 per cent in science, and
14 per cent in other combined.
• Storage (79 per cent) : Forty per cent of
the museums rated protection against van-
dalism in the storage area fully adequate, 31
per cent somewhat adequate, and 17 per cent
not adequate. Protection against vandalism
was rated fully adequate by 62 per cent of
art, compared with 42 per cent of history,
34 per cent of art/history, 28 per cent of
other combined, and 23 per cent of science.
Other Facilities
In addition to exhibition and storage areas,
the survey investigated the need for and
adequacy of a variety of other kinds of
museum facilities, including classrooms,
auditoriums, libraries, members' facilities,
and public parking. It was first determined
whether the museum had the facility and, if
not, whether it was needed. For most of the
15 areas listed, at least one-fifth of the
museums reported that they do not have
but need the facility. (Fig. 69, pp. 136-37.)
Among all museums, the most frequently
mentioned need was facilities for the
preservation, restoration, and conservation
of the collection: one-third (33 per cent)
responded that they do not have but need
such facilities. (Only 13 per cent reported
that they neither have nor need them.) A
greater percentage of art (44 per cent)
than of history or science museums (37
and 23 per cent, respectively) require this
type of facility. Among budget sizes, the
need decreases from 35 per cent of the
under $50,000 museums to 12 per cent of
the $1,000,000 and over museums.
Equal percentages (32 per cent) of mu-
seums expressed a need for separate
exhibition areas or galleries for children
and for an auditorium/theatre. At least 31
per cent, however, responded that they
neither have nor need such facilities. The
percentage of museums requiring separate
children's galleries was highest in history
(38 per cent), while the need for an
auditorium/theatre was greatest in science
(42 per cent).
Classrooms, lecture rooms, and studios —
mentioned by 29 per cent of all museums —
also were high on the list of needed
facilities. Here the most noticeable
variations occurred among governing au-
thorities, with a considerably higher per-
centage of government museums (40 per
cent) than of private nonprofit (26 per cent)
or educational institution (14 per cent)
museums needing such facilities.
Of the remaining facilities listed, 24 per
cent of the museums reported that they do
not have but need a workshop, 22 per cent
members' facilities, and 20 per cent public
parking. Twenty per cent require a field
research station and 20 per cent a separate
lab operation. (This is largely a reflection
of science museums, approximately one-
third of which need these two kinds of fa-
cilities. The great majority of all museums
neither have nor need them.) Among those
facilities least needed by museums are
storage space for the collection (15 per
cent), restaurant/cafeteria (14 per cent), mu-
seum shops or sales desks (13 per cent),
136
Figure 69
Existence of or Need for Certain Facilities
Base: Total museums
£>
o>
i£
xS
<V
J"
&
69 O/
0/
/o
0/
/o
0/
/o
%
%
0/
/o
0/
/o
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
Facilities for preservation,
restoration, or reconstruction
of the collection
Have
Haven't but need
Haven't and do not need
Administrative offices
Have
Haven't but need
Haven't and do not need
Classrooms, lecture rooms,
and studios
Have
Haven't but need
Haven't and do not need
Auditorium/theatre
Have
Haven't but need
Haven't and do not need
Restau rant/cafeteria
Have
Haven't but need
Haven't and do not need
Library
Have
Haven't but need
Haven't and do not need
Shop/sales desk selling
museum-related items/books
Have
Haven't but need
Haven't and do not need
54
33
13
84
9
7
47
29
24
37
32
31
12
14
74
75
12
13
75
13
12
35
44
21
85
10
5
67
19
14
55
29
16
11
19
70
70
16
14
75
11
14
50
37
13
79
11
10
28
34
38
25
30
45
85
72
11
17
75
12
13
60
23
17
94
4
2
62
31
7
46
42
12
27
23
50
72
19
9
70
13
17
58
34
8
73
12
15
38
28
34
23
29
48
6
17
77
76
5
19
80
11
9
71
23
6
89
8
3
60
30
10
41
34
25
12
11
77
84
9
7
73
19
8
51
35
14
71
15
14
33
33
34
20
33
47
4
10
86
63
14
23
65
17
18
42
43
15
88
8
4
44
36
20
35
39
26
8
12
80
76
17
7
77
13
10
56
32
12
96
3
1
61
21
18
48
35
17
12
15
73
86
8
6
80
12
8
60
27
13
97
3
70
24
6
64
15
21
20
23
57
85
9
6
87
8
5
64
22
14
99
1
75
21
4
66
28
6
41
30
29
82
13
5
92
4
4
84
12
4
96
2
2
79
16
5
76
23
1
63
20
17
93
5
2
96
2
2
52
35
13
83
11
6
51
26
23
38
33
29
11
15
74
78
11
11
81
12
7
57
29
14
85
6
9
36
40
24
33
33
34
13
14
73
72
15
13
69
15
16
48
38
14
86
8
6
60
14
26
44
23
33
11
7
82
61
12
27
56
14
30
137
Figure 69 (cont'd)
Existence of or Need for Certain Facilities
Base: Total museums
«»'
A
,<&
6?
a
<?
9v
«8f
S"
#£■
vr.^>
/^
fr
(*
/«?
/T
/°
/<?
/ «r
/ ^
/ <V
/ <o
/£c
y <£
/o°
%
%
%
%
%
%
0/
/o
%
0/
/o
%
%
0/
/o
%
%
%
Public parking
Have
74
68
76
85
60
74
70
79
83
69
73
69
72
78
68
Haven't but need
20
21
17
14
27
24
22
15
15
25
21
21
20
18
26
Haven't and do not need
6
11
7
1
13
2
8
6
2
6
6
10
8
4
6
Accessibility by public
transportation
Have
68
74
59
67
87
70
61
72
70
79
84
72
66
70
71
Haven't but need
18
16
22
23
7
16
20
14
20
15
12
24
21
15
13
Haven't and do not need
14
10
19
10
6
14
19
14 ,
10
6
4
4
13
15
16
Members' facilities
Have
31
32
34
25
30
27
32
28
23
34
32
52
39
21
17
Haven't but need
22
27
17
24
22
27
22
21
20
22
33
22
24
23
11
Haven't and do not need
47
41
49
51
48
46
46
51
57
44
35
26
37
56
72
Separate exhibitions or
galleries for children
Have
28
34
16
42
30
37
19
34
33
39
44
50
31
28
18
Haven't but need
32
31
38
26
32
28
34
33
30
33
33
24
34
35
16
Haven't and do not need
40
35
46
32
38
35
47
33
37
28
23
26
35
37
66
Field research station
Have
8
4
7
16
2
13
4
4
9
17
23
30
7
9
16
Haven't but need
20
16
13
39
10
29
19
18
24
29
23
11
16
29
16
Haven't and do not need
72
80
80
45
88
58
77
78
67
54
54
59
77
62
68
Separate lab operation
Have
17
11
12
34
6
24
9
10
21
31
41
57
13
22
22
Haven't but need
20
17
14
31
20
26
18
23
22
19
20
11
20
19
22
Haven't and do not need
63
72
74
35
74
50
73
67
57
50
39
32
67
59
56
Workshop
Have
59
69
45
75
42
75
43
54
81
80
88
86
55
60
75
Haven't but need
24
22
30
17
26
18
31
33
14
9
6
7
28
21
12
Haven't and do not need
17
9
25
8
32
7
26
13
5
11
6
7
17
19
13
Storage space for the collection
Have
80
87
76
79
78
84
74
79
85
93
93
91
79
81
89
Haven't but need
15
12
19
10
14
14
21
16
9
5
2
7
17
13
8
Haven't and do not need
5
1
5
11
8
2
5
5
6
2
5
2
4
6
3
138
and libraries (12 per cent). Except for
restaurants, these facilities are found in at
least three out of four museums.
Having determined the need for certain
facilities, the survey then investigated the
adequacy of these facilities in museums
that do have them. For each item examined,
the responses according to museum type,
budget size, and governing authority
generally follow those of all museums.
Facilities for the preservation, restoration,
and conservation of the collection —
topping the list of most needed facilities —
were rated less than fully adequate by
the highest percentage of museums with
these facilities. Approximately one-third
reported them barely adequate (20 per cent)
or not adequate (12 per cent); only 28 per
cent rated them fully adequate.
Museums also gave relatively low adequacy
ratings for classrooms, libraries, and sep-
arate children's galleries. For example, of
the three out of four museums that have a
library, 33 per cent considered it barely or
not adequate, while 38 per cent rated it
fully adequate. Of the more than four out
of ten museums with classrooms, lecture
rooms, and studios, 34 per cent rated
these facilities fully adequate but an equal
34 per cent rated them barely or not
adequate. Separate children's galleries,
found in almost three out of ten museums,
were considered somewhat more satis-
factory: 45 per cent rated them fully ade-
quate; 11 per cent rated them barely
adequate and 14 per cent not adequate.
At least half of the museums responding
rated as fully adequate members' facilities
(62 per cent), auditorium/theatre (56 per
cent), public parking (56 per cent), and
restaurant/cafeteria (55 per cent).
Renting of Facilities
Although a potential source of additional
income, the renting of facilities was found
to be an uncommon practice among mu-
seums. Moreover, in those museums that do
rent, the charges often are made simply
to cover the museum's costs. Of the 27 per
cent of museums that rented their facilities
in FY 1971-72, about half (51 per cent)
made them available to individuals and
profit-making organizations as well as to
private nonprofit organizations; the remain-
ing 49 per cent rented only to private non-
profit groups. In most cases, facilities were
used for meetings, conferences, social
gatherings, performing arts events, films,
and lectures.
Art museums rent much more frequently
(44 per cent) than science (27 per cent),
other combined (27 per cent), art/history
(20 per cent), or history (19 per cent)
museums. Among governing authorities, this
percentage is considerably higher in pri-
vate nonprofit museums (37 per cent) than
in government or educational institution
museums (14 and 13 per cent, respectively).
The percentage of museums that rent their
facilities ranges widely among budget sizes,
from 13 per cent of the under $50,000
museums to 48 per cent of the $1,000,000
and over museums.
Among the 73 per cent of museums that do
not rent their facilities, the major reasons
cited for not renting were lack of practical
or usable space, the fact that facilities are
available to outside groups or individuals
free of charge, and government or museum
policy. (The latter may account partly for the
low incidence of renting among govern-
ment museums.) Only a small percentage
cited lack of demand or lack of security.
Chapter 9
Finances
Introduction
The total income of the 1,821 museums
in FY 1971-72 was $513.3 million. Nearly
two- thirds (63 per cent) of this amount was
provided by the private sector, with the
remaining 37 per cent derived from the
public sector (federal, state, municipal-
county governments). Operating expendi-
tures, more than half of which were for
personnel, totaled $478.9 million in this
period, resulting in a net income of $34.4
million. Fifty-five per cent of the museums
had unexpended income totaling $49.7
million at year end, 24 per cent managed
to or were legally required to break even,
and 21 per cent had a deficit totaling $15.3
million.
It is essential to understand that the $15.3
million deficit in no way can be equated
with the total financial need of museums.
There are, rather, a number of critical
factors that must be kept in mind when
assessing financial need:
• A substantial 66 per cent of the directors
reported that their museum's operating
budget did not permit full utilization of
the museum's resources. These directors
estimated that a median budget increase
of 45 per cent was needed in the next
two to three years alone.
• Further, 36 per cent of all museums
responded that since 1966, financial
pressures had necessitated cutbacks in
staff, facilities, or services. Such cutbacks
resulted most frequently in reduced staffs,
followed by reductions in building
maintenance and repairs, reductions in
hours and/or facilities open to the public,
and cutbacks in publications, school
programs, and services to researchers
and scholars.
• And, as discussed in Chapter 7, significant
numbers of museums need additional
staff, are concerned about inadequate
salary levels, and rely heavily on volun-
teers.
139
It is impossible to grasp the true picture
of the financial condition of museums with-
out taking all of these factors into account.
In addition, the impact of inflation, clearly
reflected in museums' rising costs between
1966 and 1972, undoubtedly continues to
have increasingly serious implications for
the nation's museums.
Museum finances are discussed and ana-
lyzed in this chapter in two parts. The first
section examines all budgetary data for FY
1971-72,' beginning with a discussion of
current funds:
• Total museum income and sources of
income.
• Operating expenditures, including all
expenditures from current funds except
those for acquisitions of land, buildings,
major equipment, and for collections.
• Net income.
• Extraordinary expenditures, defined as
those expenditures for acquisitions of
land, buildings, major equipment, and for
collections that are charged against cur-
rent funds but excluded from operating
expenditures.
• Current fund balance, or net cash po-
sition, at year end.
Non-current funds — endowment funds,
funds similar to endowments, unexpended
funds for land, buildings, equipment, and
collections, and other special funds — are
then considered in terms of additions
to and deductions from the funds and
balances at the beginning and end of FY
1971-72.
1 In the text, dollar figures have been rounded on
the basis of the individual figure. Thus, in some
cases, there may be a slight discrepancy between a
total dollar figure and the sum of its parts. All dollar
figures in the accompanying graphs are expressed as
full figures.
140
The survey did not undertake to relate
specific sources of income to specific areas
of expenditures. Although it is widely as-
sumed, for example, that funds received
from municipal-county governments gener-
ally are used by museums for ongoing
operating expenses, this type of relation-
ship between income and expenditures was
not explored.
The second section of this chapter focuses
on the financial status of museums and
their specific income needs. It examines
increases in operating costs since 1966 and
the extent to which financial pressures have
resulted in cutbacks. Also discussed are
the directors' evaluations of the adequacy
of their museum's current operating budget
and areas in which additional funds
would be spent in the next two or three
years, and the next five to ten.
There are several special characteristics of
museums that must be considered in rela-
tion to the financial data presented in this
chapter. First, the finances of museums
must be analyzed with the understanding
that these institutions are not intended to
be profit-making or even self-supporting.
Further, by definition, museums included
in this survey hold nonprofit tax-exempt
status. Their budgets, rather than repre-
senting profit or loss statements, provide
a useful itemization of the inflow and out-
flow of funds, and it is in this regard that
they are treated here.
That museums are not profit-making insti-
tutions is a fact understood by a substantial
portion of the American public. The As-
sociated Councils of the Arts' national pub-
lic study revealed that no more than 15 per
cent of the public thought that either art,
history, science, or natural history museums
are primarily self-supporting. The public,
in addition, appears to have a realistic view
of the differences in major support sources
for the various types of museums. The
largest percentage of the public considered
government the main source of financial
support for history, science, and natural
history museums, and private donations
and gifts from businesses the main source
of support for art museums. The museum
survey findings show that in FY 1971-72
government support did account for a
substantially higher proportion of total
income in both history and science museums
(48 and 44 per cent, respectively) than in
art museums (21 per cent). Private support,
which includes gifts and donations from
individuals and businesses, represented
32 per cent of total income in art museums,
contrasted with 14 per cent in history and
18 per cent in science.
Clearly, the public has a more accurate
picture of the financial situation of museums
than that of the performing arts. According
to the Associated Councils of the Arts' study,
from 43 to 57 per cent of the public felt
that noncommercial professional theatres,
symphony orchestras, opera companies, and
ballet or modern dance companies are pri-
marily self-supporting, which is, of course,
incorrect.
Another important factor to be noted when
considering the financial data presented in
this chapter is the existence of certain legal
or other restrictions on the financial prac-
tices of museums. The consultants have
noted that some museums, particularly
those operated by government agencies, are
not permitted to operate with a deficit or
a surplus. In these museums, funds appro-
priated for a fiscal year are based on the
museum's budget request and estimate of
revenues that can be generated from other
sources. If the income generated exceeds
the estimate, the excess sum may revert to
the government treasury or may be carried
over as a cash balance to the next fiscal
year and then deducted from that year's
appropriation. In either case, the museum
is legally restricted from spending the excess
income.
141
Figure 70
Total Museum Income, FY 1971-72
$513,341,000
Private Sector Income
$326,745,000
63%
Base: Total museum income
Public Sector Income
$186,596,000
37%
Private Support
$109,290,000
21%
Operating Revenues
$150,090,000
29%
Non-Operating Revenues
$67,365,000
13%
Public Sector
Income
Private Sector
Income
Municipal-County
$90,042,000
18%
State
$35,776,000
7%
Federal
$60,778,000
12%
Private nonprofit museums, in contrast,
usually estimate their budgets for the coming
year and then attempt to raise funds suffi-
cient to meet anticipated costs. If the re-
quired funds are not raised, there is a
deficit; if fund raising exceeds expectations,
there is a cushion for the following year.
Museum finances are extremely complex.
The museums themselves expended con-
siderable time and effort in supplying finan-
cial data, which then were reviewed
thoroughly by Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co.
Both factors contributed significantly to the
validity of the information presented in
this chapter.
Current Funds
Income
Of the $513.3 million total income received
by the 1,821 museums in FY 1971-72, 63
per cent ($326.7 million) was provided by
the private sector and 37 per cent ($186.6
million) by the public sector.2 (Fig. 70,
p. 141).
"Private sector income" refers to private
support, operating revenues, and non-
operating revenues combined. It should not
be confused with "private support," which
is only one of the components of private
sector income. The sources of private sector
income were:
Private Support ($109.3 million or 21 per
cent of total income): Direct contributions
from individuals, including donations and
membership fees, accounted for almost half
(45 per cent) of the total private support.
(Fig. 71, p. 142.) Twenty-one per cent was
provided by foundations, and a low six
per cent by corporations (including corporate
foundations). The remaining 28 per cent of
private support came from intermediate
- Total income does not include the value of gifts-in-
kind, objects on loan for display, or similar additions
to museum assets from public or private sources.
142
Figure 71
Sources of Private Sector Income,
FY 1971-72
Base: Total private sector income,
$326,745,000
1 Private Support $109,290,000
2 Operating Revenues $150,090,000
3 Non- Operating Revenues $67,365,000
General and special exhibit
admissions
$46,275,000 30%
Museum shop and related sales
$39,000,000 26%
Facilities such as restaurants
and parking lots
$34,984,000 23%
Tuition
$9,092,000
6%
Admissions to lectures,
films, performances
$5,588,000 4%
Other program charges
$4,149,000 3%
Fees for services to other museums
$811,000 1%
Miscellaneous
$10,191,000 7%
Other
$1,897,000 2%
United Fund organizations
$2,933,000 3%
Corporations
$6,322,000 6%
Special fund-raising events
$12,373,000 11%
investment income
$63,216,000 94%
Disposition of investment properties
and other fixed assets
$4,149,000 6%
Allocations by colleges
and universities
$1 2,966,000 1 2%
Foundations
$22,676,000 21!
Individuals
$50,123,000 45%
143
sources, such as special fund-raising events
and United Fund organizations, and from
allocations by both public and private col-
leges and universities. Funds allocated by
colleges and universities include amounts
originally received by these institutions from
government as well as private sources.
Operating Revenues ($150.1 million or 29
per cent of total income) : Admission fees
for general and special exhibitions gener-
ated nearly one-third (30 per cent) of total
operating revenues. (Fig. 71, p. 142.) Sales
from museum shops accounted for 26 per
cent, with another 23 per cent derived from
service facilities such as restaurants and
parking lots. The remaining 21 per cent of
operating revenues came from sources such
as tuition fees and admissions to special
programs. Although operating revenues (or
earned income) represented the largest
single source of all museum income in
FY 1971-72, it nevertheless accounted for
less than one-third of total income. This
finding indicates that while museums may
attempt to increase their earned income,
they are nonetheless forced to obtain
substantial funds each year from other
sources.
Non-Operating Revenues ($67.4 million or
13 per cent of total income) : Income on
investments accounted for 94 per cent of all
non-operating revenues. (Fig. 71, p. 142.)
The remaining six per cent came from the
disposition of investment properties and
other fixed assets.
The distribution of private sector income
by governing authority shows that 83
per cent went to private nonprofit museums,
10 per cent to government museums, and
seven per cent to educational institution
museums. Among museum types, art
received 38 per cent of the private sector
income, science 26 per cent, art/history 15
per cent, history 11 per cent, and other
combined museums 10 per cent.
The sources of public sector income were:
Municipal-County Government ($90 million
or 18 per cent of total income) : Forty-eight
per cent of these funds went to municipal-
county museums, 46 per cent to private
nonprofit, three per cent to state, two per
cent to federal, and one per cent to educa-
tional institution museums.
State Government ($35.8 million or seven
per cent of total income)3: Sixty-one per
cent of these funds went to state museums,
32 per cent to private nonprofit, six per
cent to educational institution, one per cent
to municipal-county, and none to federal
museums.
Federal Government ($60.8 million or 12
per cent of total income): Seventy-eight per
cent of these funds went to federal mu-
seums, 17 per cent to private nonprofit,
three per cent to educational institution,
and two per cent to state and municipal-
county museums.
The distribution of all public sector income
by governing authority shows that a pre-
dictably high percentage (63 per cent) of this
income went to government museums. Pri-
vate nonprofit museums received 34 per
cent and educational institution museums
three per cent. (In the survey, all allocations
from colleges and universities to educa-
tional institution museums were classified as
private support. Nevertheless, it is likely that
part of the funds received by public and, to
a lesser extent, private educational institu-
tion museums from the parent institutions
3 Of this amount, $7.3 million came from State Arts
Agencies in FY 1971-72 and was distributed to
museums of all types: $2.9 million to history, $1.8
million to art, $1.7 million to other combined, $0.5
million to art/history, and $0.4 million to science.
There are indications that State Arts Agency funding
of museums is on the rise; information on this will
be collected in a National Endowment for the Arts
study of these agencies to be conducted in 1975.
144
Figure 72
Dollar Income by Museum Type,
FY 1971-72
Compared with Distribution
of All Museums by Type
Museums by Type
Base: Total number of museums
Income by Museum Type
Base: Total museum income
$513,341,000
History
37%
Science
16%
Art/History
10%
Other Combined
Art
• $125,638,000
□ $ 32,528,000
$158,166,000
History
• $35,754,000
□ $33,203,000
$68,957,000
Science
• Private sector income
D Public sector income
• $ 85,276,000
□ $ 67,845,000
$153,121,000
Art/History
• $47,636,000
□ $ 5,807,000
$53,443,000
— Other Combined
• $32,441,000
□ $47,213,000
$79,654,000
initially came from government sources,
particularly state government. Thus, the total
support received by these museums from
the public sector, directly and indirectly, is
undoubtedly greater than three per cent.)
Thirty-six per cent of all public sector in-
come went to science museums, 25 per
cent to other combined, 18 per cent to
history, 18 per cent to art, and three per
cent to art/history museums.
Income by Museum Type
The total income of art museums in FY
1971-72 was $158.2 million.4 (Fig. 72, p. 144.)
An almost equal amount, $153.1 million,
was received by science museums. Although
numbering more than art and science
museums combined, history museums,
which include large numbers of small
budget institutions, had a total income of
only $69 million. Other combined museums
had a total income of $79.7 million. Art/
history museums received $53.4 million.
Private sector income totaled $125.6 mil-
lion in art museums, $85.3 million in science,
$47.6 million in art/history, $35.8 million in
history, and $32.4 million in other combined.
Public sector income totaled $67.8 million
in science museums, $47.2 million in other
combined, $33.2 million in history, $32.5
million in art, and $5.8 million in art/
history.
Art
Of the three major museum types, art
had the highest proportion of total income
derived from the private sector (79 per
cent) : 32 per cent from private support, 24
per cent from operating revenues, and 23
per cent from non-operating revenues. (Fig.
73, p. 145.) The major sources of private
support were contributions from individuals
' For the total operating expenditures of each
museum type, see Fig. 81, p. 155. For a summary of
income and expenditures by museum type,
see Fig. 84, p. 158.
145
and foundations. (The $23.2 million re-
ceived by art museums from individuals was
more than the combined amount received
by history, $6.2 million, and science, $11.9
million.) Operating revenues were derived
largely from museum shop sales and tuition
fees. The remaining 21 per cent of total
art museum income came from the public
sector, primarily municipal-county govern-
ment.
Private sector income
Figure 73
Sources of Income by Museum Type,
FY 1971-72
Base: Total museum income, $513,341,000
Public sector income
§
100%
Art History Science Art/History Other Combined
$158,166,000 $68,957,000 $153,121,000 $53,443,000 $79,654,000
32%
24%
2i%
13%
2%
6%
14%
30%
8%
10%
24%
14%
1 8%
30%
8%
24%
3%
17%
18%
61%
10%
3%
4%
4%
I
1 4%
1 8%
9%
30%
12%
l/%
Private Support
Operating
Revenues
Non-Operating
Revenues
Municipal-
County
State
Federal
146
History
Compared with art and science, history
museums had a lower proportion of total
income derived from the private sector (52
per cent) : 30 per cent from operating rev-
enues, 14 per cent from private support,
and eight per cent from non-operating
revenues. (Fig. 73, p. 145.) The major
sources of operating revenues were ad-
mission fees and museum shop sales. Pri-
vate support came primarily from contri-
butions from individuals.
Public sector income accounted for 48 per
cent of the total income received by history
museums. State government funds repre-
sented a considerably higher percentage
(24 per cent) of total income in these mu-
seums than in either art or science. Fourteen
per cent of total income was provided by
the federal government and 10 per cent by
municipal-county government.
Science
Science museums received 56 per cent of
their total income from the private sector:
30 per cent from operating revenues, 18 per
cent from private support, and eight per
cent from non-operating revenues. (Fig.
73, p. 145.) The largest single source of oper-
ating revenues was admission fees, followed
by facilities such as restaurants and parking
lots and by museum shops. The major
sources of private support were founda-
tions, allocations from colleges and univer-
sities, and, more importantly, individual
contributions.
Forty-four per cent of total science museum
income came from the public sector. Muni-
cipal-county government provided 24 per
cent of total income, and federal govern-
ment funds represented 17 per cent, a
higher percentage than in art or history. The
remaining three per cent came from state
government.
Art/History
In art/history museums, private sector in-
come accounted for 89 per cent of total
income, representing the largest proportion
of income derived from this source by any
museum type. (Fig. 73, p. 145.) Operating
revenues, over half of which came from
facilities such as restaurants and parking
lots, represented a substantial 61 per cent
of total income. Private support, primarily
contributions from individuals and founda-
tions, accounted for 18 per cent and
non-operating revenues 10 percent. Eleven
per cent of total income received by art/
history museums came from the public
sector, with almost equal proportions
provided by municipal-county, state, and
federal governments.
Other Combined
Of all museum types, other combined had
the highest proportion (59 per cent) of total
income derived from the public sector. In
fact, it was only among these museums that
public sector income exceeded private
sector income. Thirty per cent of total in-
come came from municipal-county gov-
ernment, 17 per cent from the federal
government, and 12 per cent from state
government. (Fig. 73, p. 145.) The remaining
41 per cent of total income of other com-
bined museums was provided by the private
sector. Operating revenues, most of which
came from admission fees and museum
shop sales, accounted for 18 per cent of
total income. Private support represented 14
per cent and non-operating revenues nine
per cent.
Income by Budget Size
Among budget sizes, the total FY 1971-72
income went from $22.8 million in the
under $50,000 museums to $64.4 million in
the $500,000 to $999,999 museums, and rose
sharply to $284 million in the $1,000,000
and over museums. (Fig. 74, p. 147.)
147
Under
$50,000
$50,000
99,999
$100,000-
249,999
$250,000
499,999
$500,000-
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
Figure 74
Dollar Income by Budget Size, FY 1971-72
Compared with Distribution of
All Museums by Budget Size
I
Percentage of total museums
Base: Total number of museums
Percentage of total income
Base: Total museum income, $513,341,000
44%
■ 5%
I
5%
55%
• Private sector income
D Public sector income
• $12,630,000
D $10,202,000
$22,832,000
• $14,683,000
D $12,002,000
$26,685,000
• $31,668,000
□ $21,982,000
$53,650,000
• $37,181,000
□ $24,576,000
$61,757,000
• $40,886,000
□ $23,529,000
$64,415,000
• $189,697,000
□ $ 94,305,000
$284,002,000
Income from the private sector accounted
for more than half of the total income in
museums of all budget sizes, rising steadily
from 55 per cent in the under $100,000
museums to 67 per cent in those with
budgets of $1,000,000 and over. (Fig. 75, p.
148.) The percentage of total income de-
rived from operating and non-operating
revenues combined generally increases with
budget size, from 25 per cent in the under
$100,000 museums to 52 per cent in the
$1,000,000 and over museums. The per-
centage derived from private support re-
mains consistent in the under $500,000
museums (approximately 30 per cent). It
drops to 25 per cent in the $500,000 to
$999,999 museums and to 15 per cent in
the $1,000,000 and over category.
The primary sources of operating revenues
were admission fees and museum shop
sales, except in the $1,000,000 and over
museums where facilities such as restaurants
and parking lots accounted for a slightly
higher proportion than either of these
two sources. Contributions from individuals
represented the largest single source
of private support in all budget categories,
especially the $1,000,000 and over muse-
ums in which more than half of the private
support came from individuals. Foundations
represented the second most important
source of private support in museums with
budgets of $250,000 and over. In the under
$250,000 categories, the second most impor-
tant source was allocations from colleges
and universities.
Reversing the pattern of private sector in-
come, the percentage of total income re-
ceived from the public sector decreases as
the budget size of the museum increases,
from 45 per cent in the under $100,000
categories to 33 per cent in the $1,000,000
and over category.
Municipal-county government was the
largest single source of public sector in-
148
come in all but the $1,000,000 and over
museums, where the largest proportion
of this income came from the federal
government. In these largest budget mu-
seums, 16 per cent of total income was
derived from the federal government while
14 per cent came from municipal-county
government. In the remaining budget cate-
gories, the percentage of total income pro-
vided by municipal-county government
Figure 75
Sources of Income by Budget Size,
FY 1971-72
Base: Total museum income, $513,341 ,000
Private sector income
Public sector income
§
§
Under
$50,000
$50,000-
99,999
$100,000-
249,999
$250,000-
499,999
$500,000-
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
100%
$22,832,000 $26,685,000 $53,650,000 $61,757,000 $64,415,000 $284,002,000
30%
18%
/%
24%
15%
6%
30%
20%
5%
22%
11%
12%
21'
15%
i/%
15%
14%
3%
16%
Private
Support
Operating
Revenues
Non-Operating
Revenues
Municipal-
County
State
Federal
149
Figure 76
Dollar Income by Governing
Authority, FY 1971-72
Base: Total museum income, $513,341,000
• Private sector income
□ Public sector income
ranged from 17 per cent in the $100,000 to
$249,999 museums to 25 per cent in those
with budgets of $500,000 to $999,999.
Federal government funds represented from
five per cent of total income in the $250,000
to $499,999 museums to 12 per cent in the
$50,000 to $99,999 museums.
Private Nonprofit
• $270,019,000
□ $ 63,341,000
$333,360,000
65%
Government
• $ 34,094,000
□ $118,138,000
$152,232,000
30%
Federal
• $ 6,131,000
□ $48,672,000
$54,803,000
11%
State
• $11,869,000
□ $25,943,000
$37,812,000
Municipal-County
• $16,094,000
□ $43,523,000
$59,617,000
12%
Educational Institution
• $22,632,000
D $ 5,117,000
$27,749,000
5%
Public
• $10,909,000
□ $ 4,010,000
$14,919,000
Private
• $11,723,000
D $ 1,107,000
$12,830,000
2%
State government funds accounted for
between 11 and 15 per cent of total income
in museums with budgets under $500,000.
This decreased to six per cent in museums
with budgets of $500,000 to $999,999 and
three per cent in those with budgets of
$1,000,000 and over.
Income by Governing Authority
Private nonprofit museums, which consti-
tute more than half of the 1,821 museums,
had a total income of $333.4 million: $270
million from the private sector and $63.3 mil-
lion from the public sector. (Fig. 76, p. 149.)
Government museums, the next largest
category, received $152.2 million: $34.1
million from the private sector and $118.1
million from the public sector. The total
income of educational institution museums
was $27.7 million, with $22.6 million pro-
vided by the private sector and $5.1 million
by the public sector.
Private nonprofit museums derived a sub-
stantial 81 per cent of their total income
from the private sector: 37 per cent in
operating revenues, 26 per cent in private
support, and 18 per cent in non-operating
revenues. (Fig. 77, p. 150.) Operating rev-
enues came primarily from admission fees,
museum shop sales, and facilities such as
restaurants and parking lots. The major
sources of private support were contribu-
tions from individuals and foundations.
While operating revenues are a substantial
source of income in private nonprofit
museums, accounting for 37 per cent of
total income in FY 1971-72, they represent
150
Figure 17
Sources of Income by Governing Authority,
FY 1971-72
Base: Total museum income, $513,341,000
Private sector income
Public sector income
FJ
100%
Private
Government
Federal *
State
Municipal-
Nonprofit
County * *
$333,360,000
$152,232,000
$54,803,000
$37,812,000
$59,61 7,000
26%
i/%
1 8%
12%
4%
3%
58%
Educational Public Private
Institution
$27,749,000 $14,919,000 $12,830,000
15%
54%
10%
1%
2%
6%
Private
' Support
_ Operating
Revenues
( Non-Operating
Revenues
. Municipal-
County
•Received no state support
"Received less than 0.5%
from state government
151
a considerably lower proportion of income
than in the performing arts, 58 per cent
in 1970-71. 5 Although performing arts
groups are less likely than museums to
earn income through shop sales and facili-
ties such as restaurants and parking lots,
as a field they not only traditionally
charge admissions, but do so in amounts
whose upward levels almost always ex-
ceed those of museums.
Nineteen per cent of total income re-
ceived by private nonprofit museums came
from the public sector. Municipal-county
government provided 12 per cent of total
income; four per cent came from state
government and three per cent from the
federal government.
In government museums, public sector
income accounted for 78 per cent of total
income received. (The percentage of total
income derived from the public sector
ranged from 69 per cent in state museums
to 89 per cent in federal museums.) (Fig. 77,
p. 150.) The primary sources of public sector
income in all government museums were
the federal government (32 per cent) and
municipal-county government (31 per cent);
the remaining 15 per cent of total income
came from state government. There is, of
course, a direct correlation between the
kind of government museum and its major
sources of income: Federal museums re-
ceived 86 per cent of their total income
from the federal government, municipal-
county museums 72 per cent from munici-
pal-county government, and state museums
a somewhat lower 58 per cent from state
government.
About one-fifth (22 per cent) of the total
income received by government museums
was derived from the private sector: 15 per
cent in operating revenues, five per cent in
private support, and two per cent in non-
operating revenues. (Within government
museums, the percentage of income
derived from the private sector was lowest
in federal museums, 11 per cent, and
highest in state museums, 31 per cent.)
Operating revenues were generated largely
from admission fees, followed by facilities
such as restaurants and parking lots and
by museum shop sales. Approximately
half of the private support represented
contributions from individuals.
Educational institution museums received 82
per cent of their total income from the
private sector, about the same proportion as
that of private nonprofit museums. (Fig. 77,
p. 150.) (Private educational institution
museums received 91 per cent of total in-
come from the private sector, the highest
percentage of any museum category. Public
educational institution museums received
73 per cent from the private sector.) Private
support, most of which represented funds
allocated by colleges and universities, ac-
counted for over half (58 per cent) of the
total income received by all educational
institution museums. Non-operating reve-
nues represented 15 per cent; operating
revenues, derived mainly from museum
shop sales, represented nine per cent.
Eighteen per cent of total income re-
ceived by educational institution museums
came from the public sector, with eight per
cent provided by state government, seven
per cent by the federal government, and
three per cent by municipal-county gov-
ernment. (The percentage of income
derived from the public sector was nat-
urally higher in public educational insti-
tution museums, 27 per cent, than in
private educational institution museums,
nine per cent.)
5 The Finances of the Performing Arts, Volume I: A
Survey of 766 Professional Nonprofit Resident
Theaters, Operas, Symphonies, Ballets, and Modern
Dance Companies; Volume II: A Survey of the
Characteristics and Attitudes of Audiences for
Theater, Opera, Symphony, and Ballet in 12 U.S.
Cities. The Ford Foundation, New York, N.Y., 1974.
152
Figure 78
Dollar Income by Region,
FY 1971-72
Base: Total museum income, $513,341,000
• Private sector income
□ Public sector income
Northeast
• $101,998,000
□ $ 85,381,000
$187,379,000
36%
New England
• $42,996,000
□ $ 5,879,000
$48,875,000
10%
Southeast
• $52,066,000
□ $20,509,000
$72,575,000
14%
Midwest
• $ 76,999,000
□ $ 34,548,000
$111,547,000
22%
Mountain Plains
• $15,698,000
□ $12,026,000
$27,724,000
5%
West
• $36,988,000
D $28,253,000
$65,241,000
13%
Income by Region
Among the six regions, the total museum
income in FY 1971-72 ranged from $27.7
million in the Mountain Plains, the re-
gion with the smallest share of the
$1,000,000 and over museums, to $187.4
million in the Northeast, the region with the
highest percentage of these large budget
museums. (Fig. 78, p. 152.)
Income from the private sector accounted
for more than half of the total income of
museums in all regions, most notably New
England where 88 per cent of total in-
come was derived from this sector. This
percentage was lowest in the Northeast
(54 per cent) and in the Mountain Plains
and West (57 per cent each). (Fig. 79,
p. 153). Operating revenues represented the
largest single source of private sector in-
come in five of the six regions, including
the Southeast where approximately half
of the total income came from this source.
The exception was the Mountain Plains,
where the major source of private sector
income was private support.
The percentage of total income derived
from the public sector was lowest in New
England (12 per cent), and highest in the
Northeast (46 per cent) and the Mountain
Plains and the West (43 per cent each). With
one exception, municipal-county govern-
ment was the single most important source
of public sector income, ranging from five
per cent of total income in New England to
30 per cent in the Mountain Plains. In the
exceptional case, the Northeast, federal
government funds represented approxi-
mately one-fourth (26 per cent) of total
income. In no other region did the per-
centage of total income derived from the
federal government exceed five per cent.
The percentage of income derived from
state government ranged from three per
cent in New England to 10 per cent in the
Mountain Plains.
153
Operating Expenditures
The operating expenditures of the 1,821
museums in FY 1971-72 ranged from $3,700
to over $20 million and totaled $478.9
million.6 (This amount includes all ex-
penditures from current funds except those
for acquisitions of land, buildings, major
equipment, and for collections. The value
of contributed services is not included.)
Personnel costs (salaries, fringe benefits, and
''' By definition, all museums included in this survey
were open a minimum of three months per year
and had operating expenditures in FY 1971-72 that
averaged a minimum of $1,000 per month for each
month the museum was open.
Figure 79
Sources of Income by Region,
FY 1971-72
Base: Total museum income, $513,341,000
Private sector income
Public sector income
§
§
100%
New England Northeast Southeast
$48,875,000 $187,379,000 $72,575,000
Midwest Mountain Plains West
$111,547,000 $27,724,000 $65,241,000
26%
ilL/c
30%
5%
3%
4%
18%
21%
15%
13%
7%
26%
16%
51%
5%
15%
9%
4%
26%
30%
13%
23%
6%
2%
Private
Support
Operating
Revenues
Non-Operating
Revenues
Municipal-
County
State
Federal
154
Figure 80
Operating Expenditures by Budget Size,
FY 1971-72
Compared with Distribution of All Museums by Budget Size
Percentage of total museums
Base: Total number of museums
Percentage of total operating expenditures
Base: Total museum operating expenditures, $478,912,000
O Salaries, fringe benefits,
payroll taxes
▲ Other expenditures
Under
$50,000
44%
O $12,245,000
▲ $ 8,229,000
$20,474,000
$50,000
99,999
$100,000
249,999
19%
O $15,783,000
▲ $ 8,713,000
$24,496,000
O $29,899,000
A $19,297,000
$49,196,000
$250,000
499,999
110%
O $34,025,000
▲ $21,645,000
$55,670,000
$500,000
999,999
112%
O $36,278,000
▲ $22,560,000
$58,838,000
$1,000,000
and Over
57<7<
O $153,612,000
A $116,626,000
$270,238,000
155
Figure 81
Operating Expenditures by Museum Type,
FY 1971-72
Compared with Distribution of
All Museums by Type
Museums by Type
Base: Total number of museums
Operating Expenditures by Museum Type
Base: Total museum operating expenditures
$478,912,000
Art/History
Other Combined
O Salaries, fringe benefits, payroll taxes
A Other expenditures
Art
O $ 80,036,000
▲ $ 62,447,000
$142,483,000
30%
History
O $38,777,000
A $24,069,000
$62,846,000
13%
Science
O $ 86,014,000
▲ $ 59,870,000
$145,884,000
30%
Art/History
O $29,982,000
▲ $22,278,000
$52,260,000
11%
Other Combined
O $47,033,000
▲ $28,406,000
$75,439,000
16%
payroll taxes) accounted for 59 per cent, or
$281 .8 million, of the total operating ex-
penditures. The remaining 41 per cent, or
$197.1 million, represented all other mu-
seum expenditures.7 The relative proportions
spent on personnel and other expenditures
varied little within the museum categories.
Only in municipal-county and public ed-
ucational institution museums did the
proportion spent on personnel rise above
70 per cent.
Predictably, operating expenditures rise
steadily with budget size. Expenditures to-
taled $20.5 million in the 44 per cent of
museums with budgets under $50,000, in-
creasing to $58.8 million in the five per cent
with budgets of $500,000 to $999,999. In
the five per cent of museums with budgets
of $1,000,000 and over, expenditures rose
sharply to $270.2 million. (Fig. 80, p. 154.)
Science museums had the largest operating
expenditures of any museum type ($145.9
million). s These museums represent 16
per cent of all museums and 32 per cent
of the museums with budgets of $1,000,000
and over. (Fig. 81, p. 155.) Art museums,
representing 19 per cent of all museums
and 32 per cent of the $1,000,000 and over
museums, expended a slightly lower $142.5
million. In contrast, history museums,
which account for 37 per cent of all mu-
seums but only nine per cent of the
largest budget museums, expended $62.8
million, less than half as much as either
art or science. The total operating ex-
penditures of other combined museums
were $75.4 million; art/history museums
spent $52.3 million.
7 The survey attempted to elicit more detailed
breakdowns of operating expenditures. However,
because of a lack of uniformity in the accounting
practices of museums, the only reliable breakdown
was between these two broad categories.
s For the total income of each museum type,
see Fig. 72, p. 144.
156
Figure 82
Operating Expenditures by Governing
Authority, FY 1971-72
Base: Total museum operating expenditures, $478,912,000
O Salaries, fringe benefits,
payroll taxes
▲ Other expenditures
Private Nonprofit
O $173,676,000
▲ $139,420,000
$313,096,000
Government
O $ 91,275,000
▲ $ 49,038,000
$140,313,000
29%
Federal
O $29,740,000
▲ $23,154,000
$52,894,000
11%
State
O $22,627,000
▲ $10,136,000
$32,763,000
7%
Municipal-County
O $38,908,000
A $15,748,000
$54,656,000
11%
Educational Institution
O $16,891,000
▲ $ 8,612,000
$25,503,000
Public
O $ 9,915,000
▲ $ 4,024,000
$13,939,000
3%
Private
O $ 6,976,000
A $ 4,588,000
$11,564,000
2%
Among governing authorities, operating
expenditures were highest ($313.1 million)
in private nonprofit museums, which rep-
resent 56 per cent of all museums and 62
per cent of the $1,000,000 and over mu-
seums. (Fig. 82, p. 156.) Government mu-
seums, accounting for 34 per cent of all
museums and 33 per cent of the $1,000,000
and over museums, spent $140.3 million.
Expenditures dropped considerably to
$25.5 million in educational institution
museums, which represent only 10 per cent
of all museums and five per cent of the
largest budget museums.
The Northeast, accounting for 17 per cent
of all museums and 40 per cent of the
$1,000,000 and over museums, had the
highest ($181.2 million) operating ex-
penditures of any region. (Fig. 83, p. 157.)
Expenditures were lowest ($25.2 million)
in the Mountain Plains, which has 12 per
cent of all museums and only two per cent
of the $1,000,000 and over museums.
Net Income
Based on the total museum income of
$513.3 million and total operating expen-
ditures of $478.9 million, the net income
in FY 1971-72, before deductions of extra-
ordinary expenditures, was $34.4 million.
This resulted in seven per cent of total
income unexpended at year end. (Fig. 84,
p. 158.)
Among museum types, art had the highest
percentage of income unexpended at the
end of the fiscal year (10 per cent), fol-
lowed by history (nine per cent) and sci-
ence (five per cent). Other combined mu-
seums had five per cent of income
unexpended and art/history two per cent.
Among budget categories, museums with
budgets under $50,000 had 10 per cent
of total income unexpended at year end,
while those with budgets of $1,000,000 and
over had five per cent unexpended. In
the other budget categories, this per-
157
Figure 83
Operating Expenditures by
Region, FY 1971-72
Base: Total museum operating expenditures,
$478,912,000
O Salaries, fringe benefits, payroll taxes
▲ Other expenditures
New England
O $23,175,000
▲ $18,075,000
$41,250,000
Northeast
102,362,000
78,884,000
$181,246,000
38%
Southeast
O $40,997,000
A $26,940,000
$67,937,000
14%
Midwest
O $ 64,461,000
▲ $ 39,206,000
$103,667,000
22%
Mountain Plains
$15,209,000
$10,002,000
$25,211,000
5%
West
O $35,638,000
▲ $23,963,000
$59,601,000
12%
centage ranged from eight per cent in both
the $50,000 to $99,999 and $100,000 to
$249,999 museums to 10 per cent in the
$250,000 to $499,999 group.
Government and educational institution
museums each had eight per cent of total
income unexpended and private nonprofit
museums six per cent. Museums in New
England had, of all regions, the highest
percentage (16 per cent) of income unex-
pended at year end, while those in the
Northeast had the lowest (three per cent).
These aggregate figures on income and
operating expenditures do not describe
adequately the actual financial status of
museums. That a substantial number of
museums are confronted by serious finan-
cial problems is indicated in part by the
breakdown of museums according to their
individual income positions at the end
of the fiscal year. While 55 per cent of the
museums did have some unexpended in-
come and 24 per cent managed to or were
legally required to break even, 21 per
cent of the museums had a deficit after
exhausting all sources of income. (Fig. 85,
p. 159; Fig. 85A, p. 160; Fig. 85B, p. 161.)
The total operating surplus of the 55 per
cent of museums with a surplus was $49.7
million. The total deficit of the 21 per cent
of museums with a deficit was $15.3 million.
As noted earlier in this chapter, it is
essential that this deficit not be equated
with the total financial need of the museum
field. For those museums with unexpended
income, the surplus often means simply
that they were able to plan and budget
ahead for the following year with some
degree of confidence. Further, consultants
have indicated that many museums that
broke even or ended the year with un-
expended income may have done so at the
expense of personnel needs and of pro-
grams and activities they felt essential to
meet the needs of their disciplines and of
their publics. Moreover, figures on income
and expenditures must be viewed in the
158
Figure 84
Summary of FY 1971-72 Income and Operating Expenditures
Base: Total museums
Dollar amounts in thousands
/
-^
$
$
$
All Museums
513,341
478,912
34,429
Art
158,166
142,483
15,683
History
68,957
62,846
6,111
Science
153,121
145,884
7,237
Art/History
53,443
52,260
1,183
Other Combined
79,654
75,439
4,215
Under $50,000
22,832
20,474
2,358
$50,000-99,999
26,685
24,496
2,189
$100,000-249,999
53,650
49,196
4,454
$250,000-499,999
61,757
55,670
6,087
$500,000-999,999
64,415
58,838
5,577
$1,000,000 and Over
284,002
270,238
13,764
Private Nonprofit
333,360
313,096
20,264
Government
152,232
140,313
11,919
Federal
54,803
52,894
1,909
State
37,812
32,763
5,049
Municipal-County
59,617
54,656
4,961
Educational Institution
27,749
25,503
2,246
Public
14,919
13,939
980
Private
12,830
11,564
1,266
New England
48,875
41,250
7,625
Northeast
187,379
181,246
6,133
Southeast
72,575
67,937
4,638
Midwest
111,547
103,667
7,880
Mountain Plains
27,724
25,211
2,513
West
65,241
59,601
5,640
159
context of a number of other critical
factors: Sixty-six per cent of the directors
reported that their museum's operating
budget did not permit full utilization of the
museum's resources and estimated that a
median budget increase of 45 per cent was
needed in the next two to three years alone;
36 per cent of all museums responded that
since 1966, financial pressures had necessi-
tated cutbacks in staff, facilities, or services,
and, as discussed in Chapter 7, significant
numbers of museums need additional staff,
are concerned about inadequate salary
levels, and rely heavily on volunteers.
Among museum types, 64 per cent of the
art museums had unexpended income at
year end, compared with 54 per cent
Figure 85
Net Income Position (Unexpended Income,
Broke Even, Deficit) at End of FY 1971-72,
by Museum Type and Budget Size
8
Percentage of museums with unexpended income
Percentage of museums that broke even
Percentage of museums with deficit
Base: Total museums
100
All
Museums
Art
History
Science
Art/
History
Other
Combined
24%
21%
64%
13%
23%
54%
28%
54%
22%
50%
55%
50%
2
24%
18%
32%
18%
Under
$50,000
$50,000-
99,999
49%
26%
25%
$100,000-
249,999
60% I- ~~] 68%
17% I
$250,000- $500,000
499,999 999,999
73%)
$1,000,000
and Over
23%
25%
7%
20%
76%
3%
21%
160
of both history and science museums. (Fig.
85, p. 159.) Almost equal percentages of art
and science museums (23 and 24 per cent,
respectively) had a deficit in this period.
History museums, almost half of which are
government operated, had the lowest pro-
portion (18 per cent) of museums with
deficits and the highest proportion (28 per
cent) of museums that broke even. Among
those museums with deficits, the average
deficit was $84,000 in art, and $68,000 in
science, compared with $10,000 in history.
Of the art/history museums, 50 per cent had
unexpended income and 26 per cent a deficit.
The respective figures for other com-
bined museums were 55 and 21 per cent.
Figure 85A
Net Income Position (Unexpended Income,
Broke Even, Deficit) at End of FY 1971-72,
by Governing Authority
u
Percentage of museums with unexpended income
Percentage of museums that broke even
Percentage of museums with deficit
Base: Total museums
100%
All
Museums
Private
Nonprofit
Government Federal
State Municipal- Educational Public
County Institution
51% I 1 52%1 1 54% | 1 50%
Private
161
Within budget size, the percentage of
museums in which income exceeded op-
erating expenditures ranged from approx-
imately 50 per cent of the under $100,000
museums to 76 per cent of the $1,000,000
and over museums. (Fig. 85, p. 159.) The
percentage of museums with deficits varied
little among budget categories. The average
deficit in the 18 per cent of the under $50,000
museums with deficits was $3,000. The 21
per cent of museums with deficits in the
$1,000,000 and over category had an
average deficit of $589,000 — a sizable sum
to cover even for those museums operating
on budgets of well over $1 million.
Figure 85B
Net Income Position (Unexpended Income,
Broke Even, Deficit) at End of FY 1971-72,
by Region
§
Percentage of museums with unexpended income
Percentage of museums that broke even
Percentage of museums with deficit
Base: Total museums
100%
All
Museums
New
England
Northeast Southeast Midwest
55%
24%
66%
21%
48%
32%
59%
53%
12%
22%
20%
18%
Mountain
Plains
56% | 1 52%
West
29%
32%
12%
162
Private nonprofit museums had, of all
governing authorities, the highest propor-
tion of museums with a surplus (61 per
cent) and of those with a deficit (28 per
cent). (Fig. 85A, p. 160.) Actual dollar amounts
are significant in both instances: These mu-
seums accounted for $34.9 million of the
total $49.7 million museum surplus, and for
$14.6 million of the total $15.3 million
museum deficit. Fifty-two per cent of the
educational institution museums had unex-
pended income and 17 per cent a deficit.
The respective figures for government mu-
seums were 46 and 10 per cent. Among all
governing authorities, federal museums had
the lowest incidence of both operating
surpluses and deficits. Seventy-six per cent
of these museums broke even.
Of the six regions, New England had the
highest proportion (66 per cent) of mu-
seums with unexpended income and the
Northeast the lowest (48 per cent). (Fig. 85B,
p. 161.) Operating deficits occurred most
frequently among museums in the Midwest
(29 per cent) and least frequently in the
Mountain Plains (12 per cent).
Extraordinary Expenditures
Extraordinary expenditures are defined as
expenditures for acquisitions of land,
buildings, major equipment, and for col-
lections that are charged to current
funds but not considered part of the mu-
seum's general operating expenditures. In
contrast to the $478.9 million in operating
expenditures, the 1,821 museums had total
extraordinary expenditures in FY 1971-72
of $37.7 million. (Fig. 86, p. 163.) Of this
amount, $26.4 million, or 70 per cent, was
for acquisitions of land, buildings, and
major equipment, and $11.3 million, or 30
per cent, was for acquisitions for collec-
tions.9
Among budget sizes, extraordinary ex-
penditures totaled $1.7 million in museums
with budgets under $50,000, increasing to
$5.2 million in the $500,000 to $999,999
museums and rising substantially to $19.7
million in the $1,000,000 and over category.
Acquisitions of land, buildings, and major
equipment accounted for more than half
of the total extraordinary expenditures in
all budget categories, ranging between 51
per cent in the $250,000 to $499,999 group
and 76 per cent in the $1,000,000 and
over museums.
Extraordinary expenditures were substan-
tially higher in art and science ($12.2 and
$12.6 million, respectively) than in history
($2.9 million) museums. The expenditures in
science and history were almost entirely
for acquisitions of land, buildings, and
major equipment, while acquisitions for
collections represented the largest expense
in art. Art/history and other combined
museums expended a respective $6 and
$4 million, mostly for acquisitions of land,
buildings, and major equipment.
Private nonprofit museums had a total of
$29.5 million in extraordinary expenditures,
compared with $6.6 million in government
museums and only $1.6 million in educa-
tional institution museums. Acquisitions of
land, buildings, and major equipment
represented the largest proportion of ex-
penditures except in educational institution
museums, where these kinds of acquisitions
9 The expenditures for acquisitions of land, buildings,
major equipment, and for collections reported as
deductions from current funds represent only a
portion of the total expenditures for acquisitions in
all museums; major expenditures also are made
directly from special non-current funds set aside
for this purpose. In FY 1971-72, expenditures for
acquisitions from all non-current funds amounted
to $50 million, resulting in a total of close to $88
million in acquisitions for the year. Acquisitions of
land, buildings, and major equipment made from
non-current funds were $36.3 million, for a total of
$62.7 million; acquisitions for collections made from
non-current funds were $13.8 million, for a total
of $25.1 million. For a discussion of expenditures
from non-current funds see pp. 167-72.
163
Figure 86
Extraordinary Expenditures from Current Funds, FY 1971-72
Base: Total museums
Dollar amounts in thousands
&*
,oc
^
*?
$
$
$
All Museums
26,386
11,344
37,730
Art
4,421
7,827
12,248
History
2,450
462
2,912
Science
11,307
1,257
12,564
Art/History
5,177
872
6,049
Other Combined
3,031
926
3,957
Under $50,000
1,242
444
1,686
$50,000-99,999
988
527
1,515
$100,000-249,999
2,383
800
3,183
$250,000-499,999
3,269
3,167
6,436
$500,000-999,999
3,466
1,731
5,197
$1,000,000 and Over
15,038
4,675
19,713
Private Nonprofit
21,092
8,367'
29,459
Government
4,920
1,716
6,636
Federal
827
809
1,636
State
2,540
334
2,874
Municipal-County
1,553
573
2,126
Educational Institution
374
1,261
1,635
Public
325
552
877
Private
49
709
758
New England
5,172
2,103
7,275
Northeast
6,786
5,093
11,879
Southeast
4,999
814
5,813
Midwest
4,370
1,819
6,189
Mountain Plains
1,346
440
1,786
West
3,713
1,075
4,788
164
presumably are of secondary importance
since the museums' facilities often are
part of the building complex of the parent
institutions.
The Northeast had the highest ($11.9 mil-
lion) extraordinary expenditures of any
region, and the Mountain Plains the lowest
($1.8 million). New England ranked second
in the total amount expended ($7.3 million),
even though this region has a lower per-
centage of large budget museums than
either the Midwest or the West.
Current Fund Balance at Year End
The total current fund balance of the 1,821
museums at the beginning of FY 1971-72
was $87.1 million. At year end the bal-
ance totaled $92.6 million, an increase of
$5.5 million or six per cent. (Fig. 87, p. 165.)
The year-end current fund balance was
calculated by taking the balance at the
beginning of the fiscal year, adding un-
expended income after operating expendi-
tures, deducting extraordinary expenditures
made from current funds, and accounting
for transfers to or from non-current funds.
Art museums and history museums ad-
vanced their current fund balances in FY
1971-72 by a respective $4.9 and $3.8
million. Science museums, despite sizable
transfers from other funds, had a net
change downward of $1.5 million. While
art/history museums increased their current
fund balance by a modest $135,000, other
combined museums decreased their balance
by $1.8 million.
Current fund balances increased in
all but the $100,000 to $249,999 budget
category, where a lower year-end balance
was accounted for largely by transfers to
other funds. Museums in the $250,000
to $499,999 category reported an increase
totaling $2.8 million, an amount that far
outdistanced increases in the other budget
categories. Museums with budgets of
$1,000,000 and over had only a modest
increase of $893,000 in their current fund
balance, despite a transfer of $6.8 million
from other funds. Government museums
had a positive net change of $4.9 million
in the current fund balance. This contrasts
sharply with increases of only $367,000 in
private nonprofit museums and $250,000
in educational institution museums.
An examination of current fund balances at
the beginning and end of FY 1971-72 shows
an increase in both the percentage of
museums with a positive fund balance and
the percentage with a negative fund bal-
ance. Forty-four per cent of the museums
had a beginning year positive balance
totaling $95.9 million. By the end of the
fiscal year this percentage had increased to
59 per cent, with a total positive balance of
$102.6 million. Despite this increase in the
number of museums with a positive current
fund balance, the average balance de-
creased from approximately $121,000 to
$96,000. The percentage of museums with a
negative current fund balance increased in
this period from five per cent with a nega-
tive balance totaling $8.8 million to 11 per
cent with a negative balance of $10 million.
The average negative balance, however, de-
clined from $90,000 to $52,000.
In all categories, the percentage of mu-
seums with a positive current fund bal-
ance was higher at the end of the fiscal
year than at the beginning, with the sharp-
est increases found in other combined
museums, museums with budgets of
$250,000 to $499,999, and government and
educational institution museums. Simi-
larly, all categories, most notably science
museums, showed an increase in the per-
centage of museums with a negative
balance.
165
Figure 87
Current Fund Balances, FY 1971-72
Base: Total museums
Dollar amounts in thousands
A2'
n
^
All Museums
Art
History
Science
Art/History
Other Combined
Under $50,000
$50,000-99,999
$100,000-249,999
$250,000-499,999
$500,000-999,999
$1,000,000 and Over
Private Nonprofit
Government
Federal
State
Municipal-County
Educational Institution
Public
Private
New England
Northeast
Southeast
Midwest
Mountain Plains
West
87,134
43,969
10,742
21,305
2,062
9,056
8,241
1,912
12,269
6,756
15,432
42,524
77,652
7,166
2,483
2,437
2,246
2,316
510
1,806
16,962
30,488
4,009
22,025
3,659
9,991
34,429
15,683
6,111
7,237
1,183
4,215
2,358
2,189
4,454
6,087
5,577
13,764
20,264
11,919
1,909
5,049
4,961
2,246
980
1,266
7,625
6,133
4,638
7,880
2,513
5,640
(37,730)
(12,248)
(2,912)
(12,564)
(6,049)
(3,957)
(1,686)
(1,515)
(3,183)
(6,436)
(5,197)
(19,713)
(29,459)
(6,636)
(1,636)
(2,874)
(2,126)
(1,635)
(877)
(758)
(7,275)
(11,879)
(5,813)
(6,189)
(1,786)
(4,788)
8,810
1,447
583
3,877
5,001
(2,098)
235
(28)
(1,396)
3,103
54
6,842
9,562
(391)
(313)
(78)
(361)
(44)
(317)
(643)
6,823
4,328
(1,821)
283
(160)
5,509
4,882
3,782
(1,450)
135
(1,840)
907
646
(125)
2,754
434
893
367
4,892
273
1,862
2,757
250
59
191
(293)
1,077
3,153
(130)
1,010
692
92,643
48,851
14,524
19,855
2,197
7,216
9,148
2,558
12,144
9,510
15,866
43,417
78,019
12,058
2,756
4,299
5,003
2,566
569
1,997
16,669
31,565
7,162
21,895
4,669
10,683
166
Figure 88
Non-Current Fund Balances, FY 1971-72
Base: Percentage of museums with
funds other than current funds
Dollar amounts in thousands
& $ v
*c -q o
^
t/ is
^ o
%
%*
All Museums
Art
History
Science
Art/History
Other Combined
Under $50,000
$50,000-99,999
$100,000-249,999
$250,000-499,999
$500,000-999,999
$1,000,000 and Over
New England
Northeast
Southeast
Midwest
Mountain Plains
West
1,471,003
808,098
126,375
279,687
139,811
117,032
50,495
29,332
101,578
115,927
179,689
993,982
293,575
644,042
96,588
325,744
33,306
77,748
38%
53%
31%
38%
45%
34%
29%
38%
45%
46%
57%
74%
72%
36%
27%
40%
30%
28%
144,925
74,041
18,661
13,410
15,950
22,863
2,857
3,799
13,437
23,283
21 ,001
80,548
16,592
46,780
17,727
33,494
7,578
22,754
(57,997)
(34,370)
(8,490)
(8,013)
(1,155)
(5,969)
(1,676)
(1,679)
(6,221)
(4,899)
(13,023)
(30,499)
(5,445)
(22,443)
(2,141)
(17,988)
(3,735)
(6,245)
(8,810)
(1,447)
(583)
(3,877)
(5,001)
2,098
(235)
28
1,396
(3,103)
(54)
(6,842)
643
(6,823)
(4,328)
1,821
(283)
160
78,118
38,224
9,588
1,520
9,794
18,992
946
2,148
8,612
15,281
7,924
43,207
11,790
17,514
11,258
17,327
3,560
16,669
1,549,121
846,322
135,963
281,207
149,605
136,024
51,441
31,480
110,190
131,208
187,613
1,037,189
305,365
661,556
107,846
343,071
36,866
94,417
40%
53%
32%
40%
45%
36%
30%
38%
45%
50%
60%
76%
72%
37%
30%
41%
29%
31%
'Percentage of museums
with balance
167
Non-Current Funds
Non-current funds comprise endowment
funds, funds similar to endowments,
unexpended funds for acquisitions or re-
placement of land, buildings, and equip-
ment, and for acquisitions for collections,
and miscellaneous other special funds.
The total balance of all non-current funds
was a substantial $1.47 billion at the
beginning of FY 1971-72 and $1.55 bil-
lion at year end. This represented a net
change upward of $78.1 million or five
per cent. (Fig. 88, p. 166.) It is important to
note that this balance is not entirely ex-
pendable by museums since a large portion
of it represents endowments on which only
the income can be spent. Moreover, the
expendable portion is to a large extent
restricted to specific purposes.
Total additions to non-current funds in
FY 1971-72 were $144.9 million. Slightly
more than half (53 per cent) of this
amount was accounted for by donations,
bequests, and other forms of contributions
from individuals, foundations, and corpo-
rations. Gains on the disposition of invest-
ments accounted for 26 per cent of the total
additions, investment income for 12 per
cent, and other sources for nine per cent.
Deductions from non-current funds during
this period totaled $58 million, 64 per
cent of which represented acquisitions
of land, buildings, and major equipment.
Acquisitions for collections accounted for
only 23 per cent of the total deductions.
Other deductions represented 13 per cent.
Endowment Funds
Surprisingly, only 27 per cent of the 1,821
museums have endowment funds.10 (Fig. 89,
p. 168; Fig. 89A, p. 169.) Among museum
types, endowments are found more fre-
quently in art (41 per cent) and art/history
(36 per cent) than in science (28 per cent)
or history and other combined (20 per cent
each). The percentage of museums with
endowments is substantially higher in the
large budget museums than in the small
ones: Less than one out of five (16 per cent)
of the under $50,000 museums reported
endowments, compared with approximately
half of the $500,000 and over museums.
Among governing authorities, endow-
ments are limited almost entirely to
private nonprofit and educational insti-
tution museums, but even here the
percentage of museums with these funds
is a relatively low 39 and 33 per cent,
respectively. Only five per cent of the
government museums reported endow-
ment funds. In New England, well over
half (63 per cent) of the museums have
endowments, a reflection of this region's
large number of private nonprofit muse-
ums. In no other region does the percentage
rise above the 29 per cent of museums
with endowments in the Northeast.
Among the 27 per cent of museums that
have endowments, the total endowment
fund balance at the beginning of FY
1971-72 was $886.1 million. This amount
was advanced by $47.5 million, or five per
cent, to a year-end balance of $933.6 mil-
lion. (Fig. 90, p. 170.) Just over half (55 per
cent) of the museums with endowments
increased these funds during the fiscal year,
while 10 per cent decreased them. In the
remaining 35 per cent, the endowment
fund balance was unchanged.
Art museums had, of all museum types, the
largest endowment fund balances both at
the beginning ($484.9 million) and at the
end ($505.7 million) of the fiscal year.
In fact, the balances in these museums
accounted for more than half of the total
endowment fund balance of all museums.
10 Endowment funds are defined in the survey as
"all assets provided under stipulation by their donor
that they be invested and that only the investment
income be used, for general or for specified purposes,
until a specified time, or the occurrence of a
specified event, or in perpetuity."
168
The year-end fund balance in science
museums totaled $133.9 million and in
history $107.3 million, representing respec-
tive increases of $3.9 and $5 million over
the beginning balances. Sixty-four per cent
of the art museums with endowments in-
creased these funds during the year, com-
pared with 51 per cent of science and 46
per cent of history. Sixteen per cent of the
history museums with endowments de-
creased the funds, contrasted with nine per
cent of art and five per cent of science.
Figure 89
Museums with Endowment Funds,
by Museum Type and Budget Size
Base: Total museums
100%
All
Museums
Art
27%
41%
History
Science
Art/
History
Other
Combined
Under
$50,000
$50,000-
99,999
$100,000-
249,999
$250,000
499,999
$500,000-
999,999
$1,000,000
and Over
20%
28%
36%
20%
16%
32%
32%
169
Museums with budgets of $1,000,000 and
over predictably had the most sizable en-
dowment funds of any budget category. In
these museums, the fund balance was in-
creased by $29.9 million to a year-end total
of $614.9 million, representing 66 per cent
of the total endowment fund balance of
all museums. Only among the smallest mu-
seums did the endowment fund balance
show a net change downward: The rela-
tively small percentage of under $50,000
museums that have endowments reported a
Figure 89A
Museums with Endowment Funds,
by Governing Authority and Region
Base: Total museums
100<7f
All
Museums
Private Government Educational New
Nonprofit Institution England
Northeast
27%
39%
33%
63%
29%
Southeast
Midwest
Mountain
Plains
21%
21%
16%
West
17%
170
Figure 90
Endowment Fund Balances, FY 1971-72
Base: The 27% of museums
with endowment funds
Dollar amounts in thousands
& £ £
a? X^^
H3 ^O O
./
^
Q
<?
/ cf^
/ *0
,f
/ <o & C-
s>>
/ i= O A /
o
f /
/ ,5" ~N £ /
/
$
$
$
$
$
$
All Museums
886,069
62,291
(1,204)
(13,596)
47,491
933,560
Art
484,940
27,862
(745)
(6,397)
20,720
505,660
History
102,387
5,166
-
(213)
4,953
107,340
Science
130,055
5,060
(116)
(1,090)
3,854
133,909
Art/History
76,612
7,337
(340)
(5,008)
1,989
78,601
Other Combined
92,075
16,866
(3)
(888)
15,975
108,050
Under $50,000
46,548
75
(8)
(218)
(151)
46,397
$50,000-99,999
22,353
1,271
(13)
(14)
1,244
23,597
$100,000-249,999
66,284
5,531
(13)
(346)
5,172
71,456
$250,000-499,999
56,107
9,806
(206)
(1,745)
7,855
63,962
$500,000-999,999
109,795
4,082
(457)
(154)
3,471
113,266
$1,000,000 and Over
584,982
41,526
(507)
(11,119)
29,900
614,882
New England
238,337
8,552
(48)
(612)
7,892
246,229
Northeast
327,938
21,094
(594)
(9,279)
11,221
339,159
Southeast
66,632
7,413
(10)
(3,076)
4,327
70,959
Midwest
185,854
14,431
(40)
(434)
13,957
199,811
Mountain Plains
10,948
504
(166)
(119)
219
11,167
West
56,360
10,297
(346)
(76)
9,875
66,235
171
slight decrease in their fund balance from
$46.5 million to $46.4 million. Thirty-nine
per cent of these museums increased these
funds during the year, while 16 per cent
decreased them. Of the $1,000,000 and over
museums with endowments, 74 per cent
increased the funds during the year and 14
per cent decreased them.
The largest fund balances of any region
were reported by museums in the North-
east, $327.9 million at the beginning of the
year and $339.2 million at year end. New
England, while having a higher proportion
of museums with endowments but a lower
percentage of large budget museums, re-
ported slightly lower balances for this pe-
riod of $238.3 million and $246.2 million.
Endowment fund balances, both at the
beginning and end of the year, were lowest
in the Mountain Plains ($10.9 million and
$11.2 million). The West, which ranked just
ahead of the Mountain Plains in total en-
dowment fund balances ($56.4 million at
the beginning of the year and $66.2 million
at year end), had the greatest percentage
increase in fund balances of any region
(18 per cent).
In FY 1971-72, the principal additions to
endowment funds were accounted for by
gains on the disposition of investments, rep-
resenting 53 per cent of the total $62.3
million added to these funds. Contributions,
grants, and bequests represented 39 per
cent of total fund additions, investment
income seven per cent, and other sources
one per cent. Deductions from endow-
ment funds, which amounted to $1.2
million, were made primarily to accom-
modate adjustments and losses in portfolio
positions. Acquisitions accounted for only
a small percentage (15 per cent) of the
total deductions."
In addition to evaluating budgetary data
on endowment funds, the survey examined
the specific policies and practices of mu-
seums concerning the management of these
funds. In more than half (56 per cent) of
the museums with endowments, there are
restrictions on the use of all or some part
of the income derived from the funds. In
14 per cent of the museums with endow-
ments all income is restricted. Among all
museums with endowments, an average 27
per cent of the endowment income is re-
stricted. The average percentage of endow-
ment income restricted rises noticeably
in both art and science museums (40 per
cent) and in museums with budgets of
$250,000 to $499,999 (43 per cent).
Almost half (49 per cent) of the museums
with endowments reported that some part
of the principal of endowment funds can be
expended upon designation of the trustees
or the governing board of the museum.12
Currently realized capital gains on at least
some part of the endowment principal can
be used for current income purposes in 37
per cent of the museums with endowments.
(Seventeen per cent of the museums with
endowments reported that currently re-
alized capital gains on all of the endowment
principal can be used.) The great majority
(78 per cent) of the museums in which
capital gains on some part of endowment
principal can be used for current income
purposes did realize gains on the endow-
ments during FY 1971-72 and 59 per
cent actually used these gains for current
income purposes.
The assumption that most museums can
exist primarily on endowment income
"The difference between the $61.1 million net
additions to endowment funds and the overall $47.5
million increase in the total endowment fund
balance is accounted for by transfers to and from
other funds.
ai; Museums often confuse endowment funds with
funds similar to endowments. Strictly defined, those
funds of which the principal can be expended upon
designation of the trustees or governing board are
funds "similar to endowments" and not endowment
funds.
172
would appear to be unfounded. First, and
most important, only 27 per cent of all
museums have endowments. Second, while
the survey did not separately identify for
those museums with endowments what per-
centage of total income was accounted for
by non-operating revenues, which include
investment earnings on endowments, total
non-operating revenues in all museums
amounted to only $67.4 million in FY
1971-72. In this same period, operating
expenditures in just those museums with
endowments were close to $256 million.
It is apparent therefore that museums
generally cannot rely on endowment in-
come to cover normal operating expendi-
tures.
Similar Funds
Similar fund balances totaled $429.5 million
at the beginning of FY 1971-72 and in-
creased slightly to $447.8 million at the
end of the year, a net change of $18.3 mil-
lion or four per cent.13 Of the total $17.7
million in additions to similar funds, 61 per
cent was accounted for by contributions,
grants, and bequests, 31 per cent by gains
on disposition of investments, seven per
cent by investment income, and one
per cent by other sources. Total deduc-
tions amounted to $1.3 million, of which
acquisitions represented only three per
cent.14
Unexpended Land, Buildings, Equipment,
and Collections Funds
These funds totaled $136.3 million at the
beginning of FY 1971-72 and $148.1 mil-
lion at year end, an increase of $11.8
million or nine per cent. Contributions,
grants, and bequests accounted for 64 per
cent of the total $63.2 million in additions
to these funds. Investment income repre-
sented 17 per cent and other sources 19
per cent. Deductions, which totaled $54.5
million, were primarily for acquisitions of
land, buildings, and major equipment (68
per cent). Acquisitions for collections
accounted for 24 per cent.15
Financial Status and Income Needs
Operating Costs and Cutbacks
Respondents indicated that since 1966
operating costs had increased in 90 per cent
of the museums, with a median increase
of 39 per cent.10 Improvements and expan-
sions in staff, programs, facilities, and col-
lections contributed to this increase, but the
primary reasons for the cost rise were the
related factors of higher salaries and in-
flation. Forty-seven per cent of the directors
of museums that experienced increases in
operating costs reported higher salaries as
a predominant cause. Forty-three per cent
listed inflation and cost of living increases.
(A number of directors, especially in gov-
ernment museums, noted that in their
museums salary increases were mandatory,
causing a continual rise in operating ex-
penses.) Also cited as factors contributing
to higher operating costs were increases in
the number of staff (18 per cent); costs of
materials and equipment, maintenance
costs, and expanded programs and in-
creased activities (17 per cent each); ex-
pansion or improvement of buildings and
facilities (15 per cent); and expansion or
improvement of the collection and exhibits
(nine per cent).
13 Similar funds are defined in the survey as "all assets
designated by the board and management of the
museum to be invested in income-producing assets
and administered as if they were endowments."
14 The difference between the $16.4 million in net
additions to similar funds and the overall $18.3
million increase in the similar funds balance is
accounted for by transfers to and from other funds.
15 The difference between the $8.7 million in net
additions to unexpended land, buildings, equipment,
and collections funds and the overall $11.8 million
increase in the balance of these funds is accounted
for by transfers to and from other funds.
16 Of the remaining 10 per cent of museums,
five per cent reported that operating costs had
remained about the same as in 1966, and one per
cent reported that costs were lower. Four per cent
of the museums were not operating in 1966.
173
Financial pressures had resulted since
1966 in cutbacks in facilities, services, or
staff in more than one-third (36 per cent)
of all museums. (Fig. 91, p. 173; Fig. 91A,
p. 174.) In no category did this percentage
tall below 27 per cent. Among museum
types, art had the highest percentage (42
per cent) of museums in which cutbacks
were necessary and art/history the lowest
(29 per cent). Forty-one per cent of the
other combined museums and approxi-
mately one-third of both history and
science museums were forced to restrict
operations. Within budget size, cutbacks
were most frequent in the $250,000 to
$499,999 museums (52 per cent) and least
frequent in the $50,000 to $99,999 mu-
seums (30 per cent).
Figure 91
Necessity for Cutbacks in Facilities,
Services, or Staff Since 1966,
by Museum Type and Budget Size
§
Cutbacks necessary
Cutbacks not necessary
Not sure
Base: The 96% of museums that were open in 1 96ft
AH
Museums
Art'
History
Science
Art/
History
Other
Combined
33%
Under $50,000- $100,000- $250,000- $500,000- $1,000,000
$50,000 99,999 249,999 499,999 999,999 and Over
39%
66%
61%
174
A substantial 52 per cent of the educational
institution museums were forced to make
cutbacks, contrasted with 36 per cent of
the government and 33 per cent of the
private nonprofit museums. Among
government museums, financial pressures
had the most pronounced effect on federal
museums: 50 per cent of these museums
had to cut back some part of their opera-
tions, compared with 41 per cent of state
and 27 per cent of municipal-county
museums.
Figure 91A
Necessity for Cutbacks in Facilities,
Services, or Staff Since 1966,
by Governing Authority
§
Cutbacks necessary
Cutbacks not necessary
Not sure
Base: The 96<7r of museums that were o()en in 1 966
100%
All
Museums
Private
Nonprofit
Government Federal
State
Municipal-
County
Educational
Institution
Public
Private
36%
63%
0 1%
36%
63%
46%
54%
60%
175
The directors of the 36 per cent of muse-
ums in which operations had been cut
back since 1966 were asked if cutbacks
were made in any of eight given areas.17
Twenty per cent of the directors cited
nonprofessional staff reductions and 19 per
cent professional staff reductions (Fig. 92,
p. 176). This was followed by reductions in
maintenance and repairs (16 per cent),
quality and/or quantity of publications (14
per cent), number of hours open to the pub-
lic (12 per cent), school programs (10 per
cent), and services to researchers and
scholars (10 per cent). Nine per cent of the
directors reported that the museum had
found it necessary to close part of the
facilities previously open to the public.
These specified cutbacks were slightly less
prevalent in museums with budgets under
$250,000 than in those with budgets over
$250,000. For example, reductions in the
number of nonprofessional staff occurred
in 16 per cent of the under $50,000 mu-
seums, compared with 33 per cent of the
$1,000,000 and over museums. Variations
were less apparent in professional staff
cutbacks, with the percentage of museums
that made reductions increasing from 17 per
cent in the under $50,000 category to 24 per
cent in the $500,000 to $999,999 group and
21 per cent in the $1,000,000 and over.
The only area in which cutbacks were
higher in the under $50,000 museums than
in the $1,000,000 and over was the num-
ber of hours the museum is open: Twelve
per cent of the under $50,000 museums
reduced hours, compared with nine per
cent of the $1,000,000 and over.
reductions in hours open to the public least
frequently in science.
Among governing authorities, a some-
what higher percentage of educational in-
stitution museums than of government or
private nonprofit museums reduced their
professional and nonprofessional staffs.
Reductions in the quality and/or quantity of
publications and in hours open to the public
were also more frequent in educational
institution museums (22 and 17 per cent,
respectively) than in private nonprofit
(16 and 10 per cent, respectively) and
government (8 and 12 per cent, re-
spectively) museums. However, the most
noticeable variations occurred within
government museums. In many of the
specified areas, the incidence of cutbacks
was substantially higher in federal museums
than in state or municipal-county museums.
For example, 40 per cent of the federal
museums reduced maintenance, compared
with only 17 per cent of state and 13 per
cent of municipal-county museums; 27 per
cent of the federal museums reduced
hours, contrasted with 10 per cent of state
and eight per cent of municipal-county.
School programs were cut back by 21 per
cent of the federal museums, while only
12 per cent of the state and seven per
cent of the municipal-county museums
were forced to restrict these activities.
Reductions in professional staff occurred
more frequently in federal museums than
in any other museum category.
A comparison of cutbacks within museum
type shows that slightly higher percentages
of art, science, and other combined mu-
seums than of history and art/history mu-
seums reduced their professional and
nonprofessional staffs. Reductions in quality
and/or quantity of publications occurred
least frequently in history museums and
17 This question was asked only of the directors of
the 36 per cent of museums in which cutbacks were
made. The percentages were converted to the 1,821
museum base to indicate the impact of these cutbacks
on the field as a whole. Because many directors
cited more than one cutback area, the percentages
total more than 100.
176
Figure 92
Specified Cutbacks Necessary Since 1966
Base: Total museums*
<Zj
J? 79 <&
**
C /b
c <?
# £■ c?
,<& i& •<•
„o ,e* ,o
o <f
^.o
#
O <? S
,<b
%
%
%
0/
/o
0/
/o
%
%
%
All Museums
Art
History
Science
Art/History
Other Combined
Under $50,000
$50,000-99,999
$100,000-249,999
$250,000-499,999
$500,000-999,999
$1,000,000 and Over
Private Nonprofit
Government
Federal
State
Municipal-County
Educational Institution
Public
Private
*This question was asked only of
the directors of the 36 per cent of
museums in which cutbacks were
made. The percentages were
converted to the 1,821 museum
base to indicate the impact of
the cutback on the field as a
whole. Multiple response question;
percentages total more than 100.
20
22
17
22
19
24
16
18
20
33
28
33
20
19
29
26
11
28
28
28
19
24
17
20
14
22
17
19
22
22
24
21
19
18
37
13
15
27
22
32
16
14
16
16
15
20
16
12
17
21
17
22
15
19
40
17
13
12
13
10
14
19
7
13
19
20
13
14
15
13
18
15
16
8
6
11
7
22
18
26
12
12
13
4
11
15
12
8
13
14
13
9
10
12
27
10
8
17
18
16
10
9
8
8
16
16
9
7
11
19
10
17
10
11
21
12
7
13
10
16
10
9
10
6
15
13
12
3
12
9
18
12
11
10
23
10
5
7
9
5
9
9
7
8
11
7
7
12
13
12
18
8
10
13
13
5
10
6
15
177
Distribution of Operating Budgets
Each director was asked to give the pro-
portional distribution of the museum's FY
1971-72 operating budget among five
program areas: administration; curatorial,
display, and exhibit; education; research;
and operations and support.18 The director
also was asked whether current budget
levels enabled full utilization of the mu-
seum's resources and, if not, in what specific
areas funding increases in the next two or
three years would be spent.
18 These same areas are used in the analysis of
personnel data and are defined in Chapter 7, p. 84.
Figure 93
Distribution of Total Operating
Budget Among Program Areas,
by Museum Type and Budget Size
Base: Total museum operating budgets
Administration
Curatorial, Display, and Exhibit
Education
Research
Operations and Support
All
Museums
100% 28% I- I 32%
Art
History
20%
15?
10%
27%
22%
16%
23%
32%
20%
Science Art/ Other
History Combined
27%
19%
16%
15%
30%
Under $50,000
$50,000 99,999
~ 30%
31%
20%
14%
8%
27%
17%
17%
11%
25%
$100,000- $250,000
249,999 499,999
27%| — | 23%
$500,000 $1,000,000
999,999 and Over
2i<7<
22%
20%
12%
11%
35%
18%
23%
12%
13%)
34%
178
Figure 93A
Distribution of Total Operating
Budget Among Program Areas,
by Governing Authority
Base: Total museum operating budgets
Administration
Curatorial, Display, and Exhibit
Education
Research
Operations and Support
All Private Government Educational
Museums Nonprofit Institution
100% 28% I I 30% | 1 25% | 1 26%
20%
19%
21%
15%
10%
27%
16%
12%
10%
32%
26%
The findings show that the two largest
museum expense areas in FY 1971-72 were
administration and operations and support,
accounting for a respective 28 and 27 per
cent of the total operating budget ($478.9
million). (Fig. 93, p. 177; Fig. 93A, p. 178.)
Curatorial, display, and exhibit — the third
largest expense area — represented 20 per
cent of the total budget. Education and
research accounted for the lowest propor-
tions, a respective 15 and 10 per cent.
Both art and history museums spent a
slightly higher proportion of their total
operating budgets on administration (32
per cent each) than on operations and sup-
port (23 and 28 per cent, respectively). (Fig.
93, p. 177.) This pattern is reversed in sci-
ence museums, where 30 per cent of the
budget was allocated for operations and
support and 20 per cent for administration.
Another noticeable variation occurs in
research, an area that accounted for a
greater proportion of the operating budget
in science (15 per cent) than in any other
museum type.
In each of the budget categories, the pro-
portion of the total budget spent on cura-
torial, display, and exhibit and on education
and research is similar to that in all mu-
seums. But the distribution of funds
between the two remaining, and generally
largest, museum expense areas clearly is
affected by budget size. In the under
$100,000 museums, administration ac-
counted for a slightly higher proportion of
the total operating budget than operations
and support, while in the $500,000 and over
museums, operations and support ac-
counted for a higher proportion than ad-
ministration. These two areas represented
equal percentages of the operating budget in
both the $100,000 to $249,999 and
$250,000 to $499,999 budget categories.
Among governing authorities, private non-
profit and educational institution museums
spent a higher proportion of their total
179
operating budgets on administration (30
and 26 per cent, respectively) than on
operations and support (26 and 19 per
cent, respectively). (Fig. 93A, p. 178.) Revers-
ing this pattern, government museums
expended 32 per cent for operations and
support and 25 per cent for administration.
Curatorial, display, and exhibit accounted
for a slightly higher proportion of the
total budget in educational institution
museums (24 per cent) than in govern-
ment (21 per cent) or private nonprofit (19
per cent) museums. Educational institution
museums also allocated a relatively larger
proportion for research, 16 per cent com-
pared with approximately 10 per cent in pri-
vate nonprofit and in government museums.
As noted in the discussion of museum per-
sonnel, educational institution museums had
the highest proportions of full-time paid
personnel working in curatorial, display,
and exhibit (27 per cent compared with
18 per cent for government and 16 per cent
for private nonprofit museums) and in re-
search (nine per cent compared with six per
cent for government and four per cent for
private nonprofit). The investigation of the
level of research activity in museums also
shows that among governing authorities
it was educational institution museums that
placed the greatest emphasis on research.
Adequacy of Operating Budgets
Two-thirds (66 per cent) of all directors
reported that their museum's current op-
erating budget did not permit full utili-
zation of facilities, exhibits, collections,
staff, and other museum resources. These
directors estimated that to achieve full
utilization, a median budget increase of 45
per cent would be needed in the next two
to three years. Differences in responses were
most striking among governing authorities,
with operating budgets considered inade-
quate in 83 per cent of the educational
institution museums compared with 70 per
cent of the private nonprofit and 55 per
cent of the government museums. It is
noteworthy that although federal muse-
ums had the highest rate of cutbacks of all
government museums, a lower percentage
of these museums (41 per cent) than of
state (69 per cent) or municipal-county
(51 per cent) museums reported that
current budget levels were insufficient for
full utilization of resources.
When the directors of the 66 per cent of
museums operating below capacity were
asked to list the two or three areas in
which any additional funds would be spent
over the next two or three years, 50 per
cent responded that at least part of the
funds would be used to increase staff.19
Forty-one per cent of the directors would
use additional funds for exhibitions and
displays and 21 per cent for educational
programs. Seventeen per cent would spend
funds on collections and acquisitions, 17 per
cent on improvements and renovations of
facilities and grounds, 13 per cent on
new building and more space, 11 per
cent on research and scholarship, and 10
per cent on conservation and preservation
of collections. Only eight per cent of the
directors indicated that additional funds
would be used to increase staff salaries.
There are several noticeable differences in
the way directors of art, history, and
science museums would spend additional
funds. Increased funding would be used
for educational programs in 28 per cent
of the science and 25 per cent of the art
museums, compared with 17 per cent of
the history museums. Similarly, a respective
48 and 44 per cent of the art and science
museums would use additional funds for
exhibitions and displays, contrasted with
32 per cent of history. A considerably
higher percentage of history museums (25
per cent) than of art (12 per cent) or
science (15 per cent) would spend addi-
tional funds on improvements and reno-
ln Since a number of directors mentioned more than
one area, percentages total more than 100.
180
vations of facilities and grounds, a differ-
ence that may well relate to the inclusion
of historic sites and museum villages in
this category.
Funding increases in educational programs
and in research activities were given slightly
higher priority by the large budget mu-
seums than by the small ones. Thirty-nine
per cent of the $1,000,000 and over mu-
seums would allocate funds for educational
programs, compared with 19 per cent
of those with budgets under $50,000. Ad-
ditional funds would be used for research
and scholarship in 25 per cent of the
$1,000,000 and over museums, but in only
eight per cent of the under $50,000. A
different pattern appears in regard to the
use of funds for additional staff, improve-
ments and renovations of facilities, and new
building and more space, with each of
these areas cited by higher percentages
of small budget museums than of large
ones. For example, 18 per cent of the
under $50,000 museums would spend
funds on new buildings and more space
contrasted with two per cent of the
$1,000,000 and over museums.
Variations in responses were generally less
pronounced among governing authorities.
Fifty per cent of the educational institution
museums cited exhibitions and displays as
one of the primary areas in which addi-
tional funds would be spent. Forty-two
per cent of the private nonprofit and
37 per cent of the government muse-
ums mentioned this area. Collections and
acquisitions also was cited by a higher per-
centage of educational institution museums
(27 per cent) than of private nonprofit (15
per cent) or government (18 per cent)
museums. Improvements and renovations
of facilities and grounds was given priority
by a somewhat higher percentage of gov-
ernment museums (22 per cent) than of
private nonprofit or educational institution
museums (16 and 12 per cent, respectively).
Long-Term Needs
Each director was asked to consider the
museum's needs over the next five to ten
years and to list the two or three primary
areas in which improvements would be
made if sufficient funds were available.
Forty-nine per cent of the directors men-
tioned staff, 41 per cent new building
and more space, and 34 per cent exhibitions
and displays. (Fig. 94, p. 181.) Nineteen
per cent would use additional funds for
improvements and renovations of facilities
and grounds, 17 per cent for collections
and acquisitions, 17 per cent for facilities
and equipment, and 16 per cent for educa-
tional programs. Eight per cent of the
directors cited storage space and a like
eight per cent conservation and preser-
vation of the collection as primary areas
of need. Six per cent cited research and
scholarship. Here it is interesting to recall
that a substantial 82 per cent of all muse-
um directors considered conservation and
preservation of objects a very important
function of their museums. Yet, relatively
few mentioned this as a priority area for
additional funding in the next five to
ten years.
Within museum type, the percentage of
museums that would allocate funds for staff
ranged between 60 per cent in art and 40
per cent in art/history. Science museums
gave more emphasis to increased funding
for exhibitions and displays and for educa-
tional programs than any other museum
type. Collections and acquisitions were
mentioned by a considerably higher per-
centage of art museums (37 per cent) than
of history or science museums (14 and
12 per cent, respectively), while im-
provements and renovations of facilities and
grounds was of greater priority in history
and art/history (approximately 25 per cent
each) than in art (11 per cent), science
(19 per cent), or other combined (14 per
cent) museums.
181
Figure 94
Priority Funding Areas Over Next Five to Ten Years
0/
/o
%
0/
/o
%
0/
/o
/o
%
0/
/o
%
%
%
0/
/o
%
0/
/o
0/
/o
Staff
New building/more space
Exhibitions/displays
Improvement/ renovation
of facilities and grounds
Collections/acquisitions
Facilities/equipment
Educational programs
Storage space
Conservation/preservation
of collection
Research and scholarship
Work space
Maintenance of buildings
and facilities
Visitors and members' services
Library
Publications
Increased salaries
Security/protection
Climate control
Audio-visual equipment
Other
49
41
34
19
17
17
16
8
8
6
5
4
4
3
3
2
2
2
2
10
60
35
28
11
37
24
16
10
7
3
4
2
3
1
5
4
1
2
2
9
46
36
32
24
14
16
13
7
11
5
3
4
4
2
3
2
2
2
4
11
47
43
41
19
12
14
24
4
4
9
3
9
4
2
3
3
1
40
43
27
25
10
10
9
11
9
8
8
2
7
8
3
3
8
2
4
18
50
52
39
14
13
16
19
11
3
6
10
3
3
5
1
*
*
1
*
47
45
31
19
12
20
12
9
5
3
2
3
4
3
*
2
2
2
3
11
63
38
33
21
19
14
22
4
7
5
8
3
3
2
6
1
6
1
3
11
50
33
38
18
25
14
16
9
9
7
5
8
4
3
4
2
2
2
8
33
42
38
16
20
10
18
13
12
13
11
6
2
3
5
3
1
10
48
36
31
18
28
19
23
11
13
11
6
1
5
4
8
5
3
1
11
38
39
40
26
21
14
23
3
15
16
4
4
9
5
3
5
1
1
10
52
40
33
19
17
19
17
6
8
5
5
3
4
4
4
3
2
2
2
12
44
43
33
20
15
15
14
11
7
6
6
7
3
2
1
1
3
*
3
10
47
39
37
18
29
10
19
11
8
7
3
2
5
3
7
4
2
1
2
6
* Less than 0.5%
Multiple response question;
percentages total more than 100.
182
There is no discernible pattern in the
evaluations of long-term needs according to
budget size, except that the percentages of
museums citing both conservation and
preservation of the collection and research
and scholarship are found to be generally
higher in the $250,000 and over museums
and the percentages citing staff higher in
the under $250,000 museums. Among
governing authorities, the most marked
difference in the descriptions of long-term
needs was the emphasis given to collections
and acquisitions: Twenty-nine per cent of
the educational institution museums (and a
substantially higher 43 per cent of the private
educational institution museums) cited this
area, compared with 17 per cent of the
private nonprofit and 15 per cent of the
government museums.
As an additional, and final, measure of
financial needs, each director was given
a list of 14 museum operations and asked
to rate the seriousness of need for addi-
tional money in each area applicable to
the museum. About half (51 per cent) of
the museums responding considered very
serious the need for additional funds for
major new construction. Thirty-eight per
cent rated as very serious the need for addi-
tional money for staff and programs in
the area of education, and 38 per cent in
the area of curatorial, display, and ex-
hibit. Renovation of facilities for reasons
other than preservation or conservation
of objects and climate control for protec-
tion of the collection each were cited by
37 per cent of the directors as areas in
which the need for additional money was
considered very serious.
Clearly, museum directors perceive little
difference in their short-term needs and
their long-term needs. Whether looking
ahead for two or three years or five to ten,
directors gave high priority to improve-
ments in staff, exhibitions, and facilities.
Predictably, these same areas were em-
phasized by museum directors when
considering the seriousness of need for
additional money.
Climate Control, Security, and Conservation
While no more than 10 per cent of the
directors listed climate control, security, or
conservation as one of the two or three
most important short-term or long-term
priority needs of their museums, approxi-
mately one-third did rate the need for
additional funds in these three areas as
very serious. Thirty-seven per cent consid-
ered very serious the need for additional
money for climate control for protection
of the collection, 34 per cent for security,
and 33 per cent for conservation.
In FY 1971-72, average operating expend-
itures (direct costs and personnel costs) in
those museums able to specify or estimate
such expenditures were $18,000 for secu-
rity, $12,800 for conservation, and $5,400 for
climate control. The overall expenditures
naturally were greater in the large budget
museums and in those museum categories
with high proportions of large budget
museums. But within each of these museum
categories the relative amounts spent on
security, conservation, and climate control
did vary noticeably. In art museums, for
example, the average expenditures for
security ($48,900) were considerably higher
than those for climate control ($13,100) or
conservation ($8,900). Science museums, in
contrast, expended an average $46,700 for
conservation, compared with $19,600 for
security and $9,200 for climate control. Of
the large budget museums, those in the
$500,000 to $999,999 category spent more
on security ($61,800) than on conserva-
tion ($34,300) or climate control ($23,800).
Security also accounted for the largest
proportion of these expenditures in the
$1,000,000 and over museums, $230,000
compared with $147,700 for conservation
and $58,500 for climate control.
In the great majority of museums, current
expenditures for climate control, security,
183
and conservation are not considered ade-
quate to meet needs. For conservation
alone, directors estimated that an average
increase of 58 per cent in operating ex-
penditures would be required to meet
immediate needs. Similar increases were
considered necessary in security and cli-
mate control, an estimated 48 and 46
per cent, respectively.
Outlook
The overall picture of museum finances
in FY 1971-72 underscores these institu-
tions' reliance on a wide variety of private
and public funding sources. In addition,
most museum directors reported increased
costs and under-utilized resources; more
than one-third cited actual cutbacks in
staff, facilities, and services since 1966.
And, there is growing concern throughout
the field about the effects of the cur-
rent economic situation. Under these
circumstances, the directors' views on
the future financing of their museums is
particularly significant.
When asked whether they felt each of six
given sources of financial support would
become over the next few years increasingly
important, less important, or remain about
the same, 49 per cent of the directors
cited the federal government as increasingly
important, 44 per cent individuals, 38 per
cent foundations, 33 per cent state govern-
ment, 31 per cent corporations, and 28
per cent local government.20 In contrast,
no more than four per cent of the directors
felt that any of these sources would be-
come less important. The two sources
expected by the highest percentages
(24 per cent each) of museums to remain
at about the same level of importance
were individuals and local government.
For museums of all types, individuals were
one of the two income sources most fre-
quently cited as increasingly important.
The other source was the federal govern-
ment, except in science museums, where
foundations were cited as frequently as
individuals.
Museums in the under $500,000
budget categories generally cited most
frequently the federal government and
individuals, while the $500,000 to $999,999
museums named the federal government
and foundations, and the $1,000,000 and
over museums the federal government and
corporations.
More than half (57 per cent) of the private
nonprofit museums responded that in-
dividuals would become increasingly im-
portant as a source of income; 49 per cent
cited the federal government and 45 per
cent foundations. Government museums
predictably cited most frequently their
respective governing authorities as in-
creasingly important income sources: The
federal government was cited by the
largest single percentage (38 per cent) of
federal museums, state government by the
largest percentage (64 per cent) of state
museums, and municipal-county govern-
ment by the largest percentage (65 per
cent) of municipal-county museums. The
largest numbers of educational institution
museums named the federal government
and foundations (52 per cent each) as
increasingly important sources, followed
closely by individuals (49 per cent).
In a related question, directors were asked
how sure they were that income from
various sources — earned income and private
20 It is interesting to compare with responses
in another area the relatively low ranking given
local government as an increasingly important funding
source. A substantial 42 per cent of all museums
received in FY 1971-72 municipal or county
support. When these museums were asked
whether they expected this support to increase,
remain about the same, or decrease, more than
half said they expected it to increase (11 per cent
substantially and 45 per cent somewhat) and
35 per cent to remain about the same. Five per
cent expected a decrease and four per cent said
they were not sure.
184
and public support for general operations
and for specific programs — would achieve
the levels they were projecting for the
next few years.
Among the 72 per cent of all museums
that received earned income in FY 1971-72,
a high 63 per cent responded that they
were very sure or fairly sure (23 and 40
per cent, respectively) that this kind of
income would meet projected levels. (With
the exception of federal museums, only 21
per cent of which received earned income,
substantial percentages of museums in all
categories, ranging from 50 per cent of
the municipal-county to 90 per cent of
the $1,000,000 and over museums, received
earned income.)
Among the 71 per cent of all museums
that received private contributions for
operating support, 55 per cent were very
sure or fairly sure (16 and 39 per cent,
respectively) that this income would
achieve the levels they were projecting.
(While 25 per cent of the federal museums
received private contributions for operating
support, percentages ranging from 51 per
cent of state museums to 89 per cent of
art museums received this kind of income.)
Just half of the 81 per cent of all museums
that received government support for
general operations in FY 1971-72 were very
sure (26 per cent) or fairly sure (24 per
cent) that this support would achieve
projected levels. (Government support for
general operations is a significant factor
for museums in all categories, ranging
from 65 per cent of the art/history museums
to 98 per cent of the federal museums.)
Of the 73 per cent of all museums that
received private contributions for specific
programs, a relatively low 43 per cent were
very sure or fairly sure that this income
would reach the levels they were project-
ing for the next few years. Only nine per
cent were very sure and 34 per cent fairly
sure. (While 36 per cent of the federal
museums received private contributions for
specific programs, between 60 per cent of
the state museums and 89 per cent of the
$250,000 to $499,999 museums had this
kind of income.)
Only 32 per cent of the 75 per cent of
museums that received government grants
for specific programs were very sure or
fairly sure of this type of income: seven
per cent very sure and 25 per cent fairly
sure. (Percentages ranging from 56 per cent
of the federal to 90 per cent of the $250,000
to $499,999 museums received govern-
ment grants for programs.)
Conversely, when the only slightly sure or
not sure at all responses are examined, 37
per cent of those museums that received
earned income were only slightly sure or
not sure at all that this source would
meet projected levels. Forty-five per cent
were unsure about private contributions
for operating support; 50 per cent about
government support for general operations;
57 per cent were unsure about private
contributions for specific programs; and
68 per cent about government support for
specific programs.
For each of the income sources listed,
more than half of the educational institu-
tion museums were only slightly sure or
not sure at all that the given source would
achieve the levels they were projecting.
Two-thirds or more of the private nonprofit
museums that received government funds
were unsure of this source, both for
general operations (66 per cent) and for
specific programs (71 per cent).
Among budget categories, high percentages
of the under $50,000 museums that
received funds for specific programs were
unsure that this income would reach
projected levels — 71 per cent in the case
of private contributions and 76 per cent
in the case of government funds.
185
And among museum types, a substantial
68 per cent of the art museums that
received government support for general
operations were only slightly sure or not
sure at all that this source would achieve
the levels they were projecting for the next
few years. Relatively high percentages of
other combined museums were unsure
about private contributions for operating
support (58 per cent) and earned income
(50 per cent).
It is encouraging to note that earned in-
come, which was the largest single source
of total museum income in FY 1971-72,
is, in the opinion of directors, the support
source most likely to achieve projected
levels over the next few years. The fact
that more than two-thirds of museum
income in FY 1971-72 came from sources
other than earned income emphasizes,
however, the responsibility museums face
in generating the bulk of their income
from a variety of support sources, both
private and public.
The complex interrelationships between
needs, projections, expectations, and poten-
tials must continue to be explored and ways
devised to deal with these challenges.
186
Index
187
The letter "F" following page number denotes
a graph or table.
Accessibility, 52-53
increases and decreases in hours open, 52, 53F
Admission policies, 54-57
by budget size of museum, 54F, 56
effect on attendance, 56-57
by governing authority of museum, 55F, 56
by type of museum, 54F, 55-56
Aquariums, 7, 61. See also Science museums
Art museums
accessibility of, 52-53, 53F
adequacy of exhibition and storage areas in,
1 28-31 F, 132-35
admission policies of, 54F, 55-56
attendance at, 48F, 49, 52
boards of trustees in, 72F, 73, 74F, 75, 79F
budget size of, 12, 12F, 16, 16F
classification of, 5F, 7, 8F
construction of facilities, 125-26
current fund balances of, 164, 165F
cutbacks in operations, 173, 173F, 175, 176F
dates founded, 2F, 125-26
directors of, 107, 108F, 109, 109F, 110, 111F, 112
distribution of operating budget, 177F, 178
efforts to increase attendance, 58F, 59
endowment funds, 167-68, 168F, 170F, 171
exhibition of permanent collection, 61, 62F,
63 F, 64
expenditures for climate control, security, and
conservation, 182
extraordinary expenditures of, 162, 163F
full-time personnel in, 85, 88F, 94-95, 96F, 97,
97F, 99, 101,1 01 F
functions of, 26, 28-29F, 29, 31, 33F
governing authority of, 12-13, 13F, 19, 19F
income of, 143-45, 144F, 145F, 158F
increases or decreases in educational activities,
41, 42F
increases or decreases in exchange of objects,
68F, 70
loans of objects to storefront museums, 67F
membership policies of, 57, 57F
need for additional staff, 116, 120F, 121 F, 122F,
123F
need for facilities, 135, 136-37F
net income of, 156, 158F, 159, 159F, 160
non-current fund balances of, 166F
operating expenditures of, 155, 155F, 158F
part-time personnel in, 87, 90F, 95, 96F, 97, 97F
personnel training programs, 118-19
priority funding areas, 179-80, 181 F
programs of, 37, 38-39F, 40-41, 42F, 43-45
purposes of, 25-26, 27F, 30, 33F
regional location of, 13, 14F, 21, 21 F
rental of facilities, 138
senior personnel in, 103-06, 106F
special exhibitions, 64F, 65-66
traveling exhibitions, 66-67, 66F
volunteer personnel in, 43, 87, 92F, 94-97, 96F,
97F
Art/History museums
accessibility of, 52, 53F
adequacy of exhibition and storage areas in,
128-31 F, 133-35
adequacy of staff salaries and training, 118
admission policies of, 54F, 56
attendance at, 48F, 49
boards of trustees in, 71, 72F, 73, 74F, 79, 79F
budget size of, 12F, 15-16, 16F
classification of, 5F, 7, 8F
construction of facilities, 125-26
current fund balances of, 164, 165F
cutbacks in operations, 173, 173F, 175, 176F
dates founded, 2F, 125
directors of, 107, 108F, 109, 109F, 110, 111 F, 112
distribution of operating budget, 177F
efforts to increase attendance, 58F
efforts to increase minority employment, 115
endowment funds, 167, 168F, 170F
exhibition of permanent collection, 62F, 63F
extraordinary expenditures of, 162, 163F
full-time personnel in, 85, 88F, 95, 96F, 97, 97F
101, 101 F
functions of, 28-29F, 29
governing authority of, 13F, 15, 19-20, 19F
income of, 143-44, 144F, 145F, 146, 158F
increases or decreases in educational activities,
41, 42F
increases or decreases in exchange of objects,
68F
loans of objects to storefront museums, 67F
membership policies of, 57F
need for additional staff, 117, 120F, 121F, 122F,
123F
need for facilities, 136-37F
net income of, 156, 158F, 159F, 160
non-current fund balances of, 166F
operating expenditures of, 155, 155F, 158F
part-time personnel in, 87, 90F, 95, 96F, 97, 97F
personnel training programs, 118
188
Art/History museums (cont.)
priority funding areas, 180, 181 F
programs of, 37, 38-39F, 40-41, 42F, 43^4
purposes of, 26, 27F
regional location of, 14F, 15, 21, 21 F
rental of facilities, 138
senior personnel in, 103, 105, 106F
special exhibitions, 64F, 65
traveling exhibitions, 66, 66F
volunteer personnel in, 43, 92F, 94, 96-97, 96F,
97F
Art/History/Science museums, 7. See also
Other Combined museums
Art/Science museums, 7. See also Other
Combined museums
Associated Councils of the Arts, national public
survey, 31, 40, 47-48, 53, 59, 140
Attendance, 47-52, 59. See also
Accessibility; Admission policies;
Membership policies
by budget size of museum, 50F, 50-51
efforts to increase, 58F, 59
by governing authority of museum, 49-50, 49F
kinds of, 47, 52
by region, 51, 51 F
by type of museum, 48F, 49
B
exhibition of permanent collection, 62F, 63F, 64
expenditures for climate control, security, and
conservation, 182
extraordinary expenditures of, 162, 163F
full-time personnel in, 85-86, 88F, 94, 95F, 101,
101 F
governing authority of, 17-18, 17F, 20, 20F
income of, 146-49, 147F, 148F, 158F
increases or decreases in educational activities,
41, 42F
increases or decreases in exchange of objects,
68F
loans of objects to storefront museums, 67F
membership policies of, 57, 57F
need for additional staff, 117, 120F, 121F, 122F,
123F
need for facilities, 135, 136-37F
net income of, 156-57, 158F, 159F, 161
non-current fund balances of, 166F
operating expenditures of, 154F, 155, 158F
part-time personnel in, 87, 90F, 94, 95F
personnel training programs, 118-19
priority funding areas, 180, 181 F, 182
programs of, 38-39F, 40-41, 42F, 44-45
regional location of, 18-19, 18F, 21-22, 22F
rental of facilities, 138
senior personnel in, 103, 106, 106F
special exhibitions, 64F, 65-66
traveling exhibitions, 66, 66F
types of, 12-16, 12F, 16F
volunteer personnel in, 43, 92F, 94, 95F
Botanical gardens, 7, 61. See also Science
museums
Budget Size, museums by
accessibility of, 53, 53F
adequacy of exhibition and storage areas in,
1 28-31 F, 132-33, 135
admission policies of, 54F, 56
attendance at, 50-51, 50F
boards of trustees in, 71, 72F, 73, 74F, 78
construction of facilities, 126
current fund balances of, 164, 165F
cutbacks in operations, 173, 173F, 175, 176F
dates founded, 2F
definition and classification of, 5F, 7-8, 9F
directors of, 107, 108F, 109, 109F, 110, 111 F, 112
distribution of operating budget, 177F, 178
efforts to increase attendance, 58F, 59
efforts to increase minority employment, 116
employee benefits and perquisites, 113, 115
endowment funds, 167, 168F, 169, 170F, 171
Climate control, 70, 182-83
Collections, permanent
exhibition of, 61-62, 62F, 63F, 64
rental of, 70
Community-based museums. See Storefront
museums
Conservation, 182-83
D
Directors, 107-13
age of, 103, 107, 108F
educational background of, 104-05, 110
ethnic affiliation of, 103, 108F, 109
evaluations of museum purposes and functions
by, 25-26, 27F, 28-29F, 29-31, 32F, 33F, 34F,
35F
189
Directors (cont.)
functions and responsibilities of, 110, 112-13,
114F
relationship with board of trustees, 78-81, 79F
salaries of, 106, 110, 111 F
sex of, 107, 108F
time spent on activities, 113, 114F
union membership, 108F, 109
work experience of, 104, 104F, 109, 109F
Educational Institution museums. See also
Private Educational Institution museums;
Public Educational Institution museums
accessibility of, 53, 53F
adequacy of exhibition and storage areas in,
1 28-31 F, 133
adequacy of operating budget, 179
admission policies of, 55F, 56
attendance at, 49F, 50, 52
boards of trustees in, 71, 72F, 73, 74F, 75, 78,
79 F, 80-81
budget size of, 17-18, 17F, 20, 20F
current fund balances of, 164, 165F
cutbacks in operations, 174, 174F, 175, 176F
dates founded, 2F
definition and classification of, 5F, 9-10, 10F
directors of, 107, 108F, 110, 111F, 112-13
distribution of operating budget, 178-79, 178F
efforts to increase attendance, 58F
efforts to increase minority employment, 116
employee benefits and perquisites, 115
endowment funds, 167, 169F
exhibition of permanent collection, 62, 62F, 63F
extraordinary expenditures of, 162, 163F
full-time personnel in, 86-87, 89F, 98, 98F,
101, 102F
income of, 143, 149, 149F, 150F, 151, 158F
increases or decreases in educational activities,
43 F
increases or decreases in exchange of objects,
69 F
loans of objects to storefront museums, 67F
membership policies of, 57, 57F
need for additional staff, 117, 120F, 121 F, 122F,
123F
need for facilities, 135, 136-37F
net income of, 157, 158F, 160F, 162
operating expenditures of, 156, 156F, 158F
ownership of facilities, 127
part-time personnel in, 87, 91 F, 98, 98F
personnel training programs, 118-19
priority funding areas, 180, 181 F, 182
programs of, 40, 43F, 44-45
regional location of, 23, 23F
rental of facilities, 138
senior personnel in, 103-04, 106, 107F
special exhibitions, 64F, 65-66
traveling exhibitions, 66F, 67
types of, 12-13, 13F, 14-15, 19-20, 19F
volunteer personnel in, 93F, 94, 98, 98F
Endowment funds, 167-72
balances, 166F, 167-69, 170F, 171
by budget size of museum, 167, 168F
by governing authority of museum, 167, 169F
management of, 171-72
by region, 167, 169F
by type of museum, 167, 168F
Exhibitions, 61-70
increases and decreases in exchange of objects,
68-69 F, 69-70
loans of objects to storefront museums, 67-69,
67F
of permanent collection, 61-62, 62F, 63F, 64
special, 64-66, 64F
traveling, 66-67, 66F, 70
Expenditures, extraordinary, 162-64
by budget size of museum, 162, 163F
current fund balances, 164, 165F
by governing authority of museum, 162, 163F,
164
by region, 163F, 164
by type of museum, 162, 163F
Expenditures, operating, 153-56
adequacy of operating budgets, 179-80
by budget size of museum, 8, 154F, 155, 158F
current fund balances, 164, 165F
cutbacks in operations, 173-75, 173-74F, 176F
distribution of operating budgets, 177-79,
177-78F
increases in operating costs, 172
by governing authority of museum, 156, 156F, 158F
net income, 1 59-61 F
by region, 156, 157F, 158F
by type of museum, 155, 155F, 158F
Facilities, 125-38
additions to, 127
adequacy of exhibition and storage areas,
1 28-31 F, 132-35
construction of, 125-26, 126F, 127F
190
Facilities (cont.)
existence of and need for, 135, 136-37F, 138
ownership of, 127
renovation of, 127
rental of, 138
Federal museums
accessibility of, 52
adequacy of operating budget, 179
adequacy of staff salaries and training, 118
admission policies of, 55F
attendance at, 49F, 50, 52
boards of trustees in, 71
budget size of, 17F, 20
current fund balances of, 165F
cutbacks in operations, 174, 174F, 175, 176F
dates founded, 2F
definition and classification of, 5F, 9, 10F
directors of, 109-10, 111 F
efforts to increase attendance, 58F, 59
efforts to increase minority employment, 116
employee benefits, 115
exhibition of permanent collection, 63F, 64
extraordinary expenditures of, 163F
full-time personnel in, 89F, 98F, 101, 102F
income of, 143, 149F, 150F, 151, 158F
increases or decreases in educational activities,
43F
increases or decreases in exchange of objects,
69F
membership policies of, 57
need for additional staff, 120F, 121 F, 122F, 123F
net income of, 158F, 160F, 162
operating expenditures of, 156F, 158F
part-time personnel in, 91 F, 98F
personnel training programs, 119
senior personnel in, 103, 106, 107F
types of, 13, 13F, 14-15, 19
volunteer personnel in, 93F, 94, 98F
Finances, 139-85. See also Expenditures,
extraordinary; Expenditures, operating;
Income
adequacy of operating budgets, 179-80
budgetary practices and policies, 140-41
current funds, 139, 141-64, 141F, 142F, 144F,
145F, 147F, 148F, 149F, 150F, 152F, 153F, 154F
155F, 156F, 157F, 158F, 159-61F, 163F, 165F
cutbacks in operations, 173-75, 173-74F, 176F
distribution of operating budgets, 177-79,
1 77-78 F
financial status and income needs, 157, 159,
172-85
increases in operating costs, 172
non-current funds, 139, 166-72, 166F, 168-69F,
170F
priority funding areas, 179-80, 181F, 182-83
Ford Foundation, The, 1
Functions of museums, 25-26, 28-29F, 29,
30-31, 32F, 33F, 34F, 35F
Governing Authority of museum, 5F, 8-10, 10F,
19-20, 19F, 20F. See also Educational Institu-
tion museums; Federal museums; Government
museums; Municipal-County museums;
Private Educational Institution museums;
Private Nonprofit museums; Public Educa-
tional Institution museums; State museums
Government museums. See also Federal
museums; Municipal-County museums;
State museums
accessibility of, 53, 53F
adequacy of exhibition and storage areas in,
1 28-31 F
adequacy of operating budget, 179
admission policies of, 55F, 56
attendance at, 49F, 50, 52
boards of trustees in, 71, 72F, 73, 74F, 75-78,
79F, 80
budget size of, 17, 17F, 20, 20F
current fund balances of, 164, 165F
cutbacks in operations, 174, 174F, 175, 176F
dates founded, 2F
definition and classification of, 5F, 9, 10F
directors of, 107, 108F, 110, 111 F, 112-13
distribution of operating budget, 178F, 179
efforts to increase attendance, 58F, 59
efforts to increase minority employment, 116
employee benefits and perquisites, 115
endowment funds, 167, 169F
exhibition of permanent collection, 62, 62F, 63F
extraordinary expenditures of, 162, 163F
full-time personnel in, 89F, 98, 98F, 101, 102F
income of, 143, 149, 149F, 150F, 151, 158F
increases or decreases in educational activities,
43 F
increases or decreases in exchange of objects,
69 F
increases in operating costs, 172
loans of objects to storefront museums, 67F
membership policies of, 57, 57F
need for additional staff, 117, 120F, 121 F, 122F,
123F
191
Government museums (cont.)
need for facilities, 135, 136-37F
net income of, 157, 158F, 160F, 162
operating expenditures of, 156, 156F, 158F
ownership of facilities, 127
part-time personnel in, 87, 91 F, 98, 98F
personnel training programs, 118-19
priority funding areas, 180, 181 F, 182
programs of, 40, 43F, 44
regional location of, 22-23, 23F
rental of facilities, 138
senior personnel in, 103-04, 106, 107F
special exhibitions, 64F, 65
traveling exhibitions, 66F, 67
types of, 12-13, 13F, 14-15, 19, 19F
volunteer personnel in, 93F, 94, 98, 98F
H
Historic sites, 7. 5ee also History
museums
need for additional staff, 117, 120F, 121 F, 122F,
123F
need for facilities, 135, 136-37F
net income of, 156, 158F, 159, 159F, 160
non-current fund balances of, 166F
operating expenditures of, 155, 155F, 158F
part-time personnel in, 87, 90F, 96F, 97, 97F
personnel training programs, 118-19
priority funding areas, 179-80, 181 F
programs of, 37, 38-39F, 40-41, 42F, 43-45
purposes of, 25-26, 27F, 30, 34F
regional location of, 14-15, 14F, 21, 21 F
rental of facilities, 138
senior personnel in, 103-06, 106F
special exhibitions, 64F, 65
traveling exhibitions, 66-67, 66F
volunteer personnel in, 43, 92F, 94-97, 96F, 97F
History/Science museums, 7. See also Other
Combined museums
I
History museums
accessibility of, 52-53, 53F
adequacy of exhibition and storage areas in,
1 28-31 F, 133-35
admission policies of, 54F, 55-56
attendance at, 48F, 49, 52
boards of trustees in, 72F, 73, 74F, 79F
budget size of, 12F, 13-16, 16F
classification of, 5F, 7, 8F
construction of facilities, 125-26
current fund balances of, 164, 165F
cutbacks in operations, 173, 173F, 175, 176F
dates founded, 2F, 125-26
directors of, 107, 108F, 109, 109F, 110, 111 F, 112
distribution of operating budget, 177F, 178
efforts to increase attendance, 58F
endowment funds, 167-68, 168F, 170F
exhibition of permanent collection, 61, 62F, 63F,
64
extraordinary expenditures of, 162, 163F
full-time personnel in, 88F, 95, 96F, 97, 97F,
99, 101, 101F
functions of, 26, 28-29F, 29, 31, 34F
governing authority of, 13F, 14, 19-20, 19F
income of, 143-44, 144F, 145F, 158F
increases or decreases in educational activities,
41, 42F
increases or decreases in exchange of objects,
68F
loans of objects to storefront museums, 67F
membership policies of, 57, 57F
Income, 141-52, 141 F
by budget size of museum, 146-49, 147F, 148F,
158F
compared with income of performing arts
groups, 140, 149, 151
current fund balances, 164, 165F
from federal government, 143
by governing authority of museum, 149-51,
149F, 150F, 158F
from municipal-county government, 143
net, 156-62, 158F, 159-61 F
non-operating revenues, 142F, 143
operating revenues, 142F, 143
outlook, 183-85
from private sector, 141, 142F, 143
private support, 141, 142F, 143
from public sector, 141, 143-44
by region, 152, 152F, 153F, 158F
from state government, 143
by type of museum, 144-46, 144F, 145F, 158F
M
Membership policies, 57, 57F, 59
Midwest, museums in
attendance at, 51 F
boards of trustees in, 72F
budget size of, 18F, 19, 22, 22F
construction of facilities, 126
current fund balances of, 165F
192
Midwest, museums in (cont.)
dates founded, 2F
definition and classification of, 5F, 11, 11 F
efforts to increase attendance, 58F, 59
endowment funds, 169F, 170F
extraordinary expenditures of, 163F, 164
governing authority of, 23F
income of, 152F, 153F, 158F
net income of, 158F, 161 F, 162
non-current fund balances of, 166F
operating expenditures of, 157F, 158F
types of, 13, 14-15, 14F, 21, 21F
Mountain Plains, museums in
attendance at, 51 F
boards of trustees in, 72F
budget size of, 18F, 19, 22F
construction of facilities, 126
current fund balances of, 165F
dates founded, 2F
definition and classification of, 5F, 11, 11 F
efforts to increase attendance, 58F
endowment funds, 169F, 170F, 171
extraordinary expenditures of, 163F, 164
governing authority of, 23F
income of, 152, 152F, 153F, 158F
net income of, 158F, 161F, 162
non-current fund balances of, 166F
operating expenditures of, 156, 157F, 158F
types of, 13, 14F, 15, 21,21F
Municipal-County museums
adequacy of operating budget, 179
admission policies of, 55F
attendance at, 49F, 50
boards of trustees in, 71
budget size of, 17, 17F, 20
current fund balances of, 165F
cutbacks in operations, 174, 174F, 175, 176F
dates founded, 2F
definition and classification of, 5F, 9, 10F
directors of, 110, 111 F
efforts to increase attendance, 58F, 59
efforts to increase minority employment, 116
exhibition of permanent collection, 63F, 64
extraordinary expenditures of, 163F
full-time personnel in, 89F, 98F, 102F
income of, 143, 149F, 150F, 151, 158F
increases or decreases in educational activities,
43 F
increases or decreases in exchange of objects,
69 F
membership policies of, 57
need for additional staff, 120F, 121F, 122F, 123F
net income of, 158F, 160F
operating expenditures of, 155, 156F, 158F
part-time personnel in, 87, 91 F, 98F
senior personnel in, 107F
special exhibitions, 65
types of, 13, 13F, 14-15, 19
volunteer personnel in, 93F, 98, 98F
Museum survey
classification of museums, 4, 5F, 6
development of, 1, 3
procedure, 4, 6
qualifying criteria, 4
Museum villages, 7. 5ee also History
museums
N
National Council on the Arts, 1
National Endowment for the Arts, 1, 3-4, 6
National Research Center of the Arts, Inc., 1,
3-4, 6
Natural History museums, 7, 61-62. See also
Science museums
New England, museums in
attendance at, 51, 51 F
boards of trustees in, 71, 72F, 78
budget size of, 18F, 22F
construction of facilities, 126
current fund balances of, 165F
dates founded, 2F
definition and classification of, 5F, 10, 11 F
efforts to increase attendance, 58F
endowment funds, 167, 169F, 170F, 171
extraordinary expenditures of, 163F, 164
governing authority of, 22-23, 23F
income of, 152, 152F, 153F, 158F
net income of, 157, 158F, 161 F, 162
non-current fund balances of, 166F
operating expenditures of, 157F, 158F
types of, 14F, 15, 21 F
Northeast, museums in
attendance at, 51, 51 F
boards of trustees in, 72F
budget size of, 18F, 19, 21, 22F
construction of facilities, 126
current fund balances of, 165F
dates founded, 2F
193
Northeast, museums in (cont.)
definition and classification ot, 5F, 10, 11 F
efforts to increase attendance, 58F, 59
endowment funds, 167, 169F, 170F, 171
extraordinary expenditures of, 163F, 164
governing authority of, 23, 23F
income of, 152, 152F, 153F, 158F
net income of, 157, 158F, 161 F, 162
non-current fund balances of, 166F
operating expenditures of, 156, 157F, 158F
types of, 13, 14-15, 14F, 21, 21 F
O
Other Combined museums
accessibility of, 52, 53F
adequacy of exhibition and storage areas in,
1 28-31 F, 132-35
admission policies of, 54F, 56
attendance at, 48F, 49, 52
boards of trustees in, 72F, 73, 74F, 79F, 81
budget size of, 12F, 15-16, 16F
classification of, 5F, 7, 8F
construction of facilities, 125-26
current fund balances of, 164, 165F
cutbacks in operations, 173, 173F, 175, 176F
dates founded, 2F, 125
directors of, 108F, 109, 109F, 110, 111F, 112
distribution of operating budget, 177F
efforts to increase attendance, 58F, 59
efforts to increase minority employment, 115-16
endowment funds, 167, 168F, 170F
exhibition of permanent collection, 62F, 63F
extraordinary expenditures of, 162, 163F
full-time personnel in, 85, 88F, 95, 96F, 97, 97F,
101, 101F
functions of, 28-29F, 29
governing authority of, 13F, 15, 19-20, 19F
income of, 143-44, 144F, 145F, 146, 158F
increases or decreases in educational activities,
41, 42F
increases or decreases in exchange of objects,
68F
loans of objects to storefront museums, 67F
membership policies of, 57F
need for additional staff, 117, 120F, 121 F, 122F,
123F
need for facilities, 136-37F
net income of, 156, 158F, 159F, 160
non-current fund balances of, 166F
operating expenditures of, 155, 155F, 158F
part-time personnel in, 87, 90F, 96F, 97, 97F
personnel training programs, 118-19
priority funding areas, 180, 181 F
programs of, 37, 38-39F, 40-41, 42F, 43-44
purposes of, 26, 27F
regional location of, 14F, 15, 21, 21F
rental of facilities, 138
senior personnel in, 103, 105, 106F
special exhibitions, 64F, 65
traveling exhibitions, 66, 66F
volunteer personnel in, 43, 92F, 94, 96-97, 96F,
97F
Personnel, 83-123. See also Directors
adequacy of salaries, 118
adequacy of training, 118
benefits and perquisites offered, 113, 115
by budget size of museum, 85-87, 88F, 90F,
92F, 94, 95F
characteristics of full-time paid staff, 99, 100F
characteristics of senior staff, 103-04
contract paid, 42, 44
cutbacks in, 175, 176F
definition of job categories, 84
full-time staff, 83, 85-87, 88-89F, 99-102
by governing authority of museum, 86-87, 89F,
91 F, 93 F, 94, 97-98, 98F
by job categories, 85-87, 86F, 88-89F, 90-91 F,
92-93 F, 94
minority employment, 115-16
need for additional staff, 116-18, 120F, 121 F,
122F, 123F
nonprofessional staff, 84-85, 86F, 87, 88-89F,
90-91 F, 92-93F, 94, 100F, 101-02, 101-02F
part-time staff, 84, 87, 90-91 F
professional staff, 84-85, 86F, 87, 88-89F, 90-91 F,
92-93F, 94, 100F, 101-02, 101-02F
relationship with board of trustees, 78-81
salaries of full-time paid staff, 101-02, 101-02F
salaries of senior staff, 105-06, 106-07F
senior staff, 102-06
total work force, 85, 85F
training programs, 118-19
by type of museum, 85, 87, 88F, 90F, 92F, 94-97,
96F, 97F
volunteers, 42-44, 84, 87, 92-93F, 94
work experience and education of senior staff,
104-05, 104F
Planetariums, 7, 61. See also Science museums
Private Educational Institution museums
admission policies of, 55F
attendance at, 49F
boards of trustees in, 71
194
Private Educational Institution museums (cont.)
budget size of, 17F, 18, 20
current fund balances of, 165F
cutbacks in operations, 174F, 176F
dates founded, 2F
definition and classification of, 5F, 9-10, 10F
directors of, 109, 111 F
efforts to increase attendance, 58F, 59
exhibition of permanent collection, 63F, 64
extraordinary expenditures of, 163F
full-time personnel in, 89F, 98F, 102F
income of, 143-44, 149F, 150F, 151, 158F
increases or decreases in educational activities,
43 F
increases or decreases in exchange of objects,
69 F
need for additional staff, 120F, 121 F, 122F, 123F
net income of, 158F, 160F
operating expenditures of, 156F, 158F
part-time personnel in, 91 F, 98F
priority funding areas, 182
senior personnel in, 107F
types of, 13, 13F, 15
volunteer personnel in, 93F, 94, 98F
Private Nonprofit museums
accessibility of, 53, 53F
adequacy of exhibition and storage areas in,
1 28-31 F, 133
adequacy of operating budget, 179
admission policies of, 55F, 56
attendance at, 49F, 50, 52
boards of trustees in, 71, 72F, 73, 74F, 78, 79F
budget size of, 17, 17F, 20, 20F
current fund balances of, 164, 165F
cutbacks in operations, 174, 174F, 175, 176F
dates founded, 2F
definition and classification of, 5F, 8-9, 10F
directors of, 107, 108F, 110, 111F, 112-13
distribution of operating budget, 178-79, 178F
efforts to increase attendance, 58F, 59
efforts to increase minority employment, 116
employee benefits and perquisites, 115
endowment funds, 167, 169F
exhibition of permanent collection, 62, 62F, 63F
extraordinary expenditures of, 162, 163F
full-time personnel in, 89F, 97-98, 98F, 101,
102F
income of, 143, 149, 149F, 150F, 151, 158F
increases or decreases in educational activities,
43 F
increases or decreases in exchange of objects,
69 F
loans of objects to storefront museums, 67F
membership policies of, 57, 57F
need for additional staff, 117, 120F, 121 F, 122F,
123F
need for facilities, 135, 136-37F
net income of, 157, 158F, 160F, 162
operating expenditures of, 156, 156F, 158F
ownership of facilities, 127
part-time personnel in, 87, 91 F, 97-98, 98F
personnel training programs, 118-19
priority funding areas, 180, 181F, 182
programs of, 40, 43F, 44
regional location of, 22-23, 23F
rental of facilities, 138
senior personnel in, 103-04, 106, 107F
special exhibitions, 64F, 65
traveling exhibitions, 66F, 67
types of, 12, 13F, 14-15, 19, 19F
volunteer personnel in, 93F, 94, 98, 98F
Programs, 37^45
with colleges and universities, 44
film series, 39F, 41
frequency of, 38-39F
for general public and adults, 38F, 40
increases and decreases in, 41, 42-43F
performing arts, 39F, 41
publications, 45
radio, 39F, 41
research, 44-45
for school children, 37, 38F, 40
staffing of, 41-44
television, 39F, 41
Public Educational Institution museums
adequacy of staff salaries and training, 118
admission policies of, 55F
attendance at, 49F
boards of trustees in, 71
budget size of, 17F, 18, 20
current fund balances of, 165F
cutbacks in operations, 174F, 176F
dates founded, 2F
definition and classification of, 5F, 9-10, 10F
directors of, 110, 111F
efforts to increase attendance, 58F
exhibition of permanent collection, 63F
extraordinary expenditures of, 163F
full-time personnel in, 89F, 98F, 102F
income of, 143-44, 149F, 150F, 151, 158F
increases or decreases in educational activities,
43F
increases or decreases in exchange of objects,
69 F
need for additional staff, 120F, 121 F, 122F, 123F
195
Public Educational Institution museums (cont.)
net income of, 158F, 160F
operating expenditures of, 155, 156F, 158F
part-time personnel in, 91 F, 98F
senior personnel in, 107F
types of, 13, 13F, 14-15
volunteer personnel in, 93F, 98F
Purposes of museums, 25-26, 27F, 30, 32F, 33F,
34F, 35F
R
Regional location of museum, 5F, 10-11, 11 F,
20-23, 21 F, 22F, 23F. See also Midwest;
Mountain Plains; New England; Northeast;
Southeast; West
membership policies of, 57F
need for additional staff, 116, 120F, 121 F, 122F,
123F
need for facilities, 135, 136-37F
net income of, 156, 158F, 159F, 160
non-current fund balances of, 166F
operating expenditures of, 155, 155F, 158F
part-time personnel in, 87, 90F, 95, 96F, 97, 97F
personnel training programs, 118
priority funding areas, 179-80, 181 F
programs of, 38-39F, 40-41, 42F, 43^5
purposes of, 25-26, 27F, 30, 35F
regional location of, 14F, 15, 21, 21F
rental of facilities, 138
senior personnel in, 103-06, 106F
special exhibitions, 64F, 65
traveling exhibitions, 66-67, 66F
volunteer personnel in, 43, 92F, 94, 96-97, 96F,
97F
Science museums
accessibility of, 52-53, 53F
adequacy of exhibition and storage areas in,
1 28-31 F, 132-35
admission policies of, 54F, 55-56
attendance at, 48F, 49, 52
boards of trustees in, 71, 72F, 73, 74F, 75, 79F
budget size of, 12F, 15-16, 16F
classification of, 5F, 7, 8F
construction of facilities, 125-26
current fund balances of, 164, 165F
cutbacks in operations, 173, 173F, 175, 176F
dates founded, 2F, 125
directors of, 107, 108F, 109, 109F, 110, 111 F,
112
distribution of operating budget, 177F, 178
efforts to increase attendance, 58F
employee benefits, 115
endowment funds, 167-68, 168F, 170F, 171
exhibition of permanent collection, 61-62, 62F,
63 F
expenditures for climate control, security, and
conservation, 182
extraordinary expenditures of, 162, 163F
full-time personnel in, 85, 88F, 94-95, 96F, 97,
97F, 99, 101, 101F
functions of, 26, 28-29F, 29, 31, 35F
governing authority of, 13F, 15, 19, 19F
income of, 143-44, 144F, 145F, 146, 158F
increases or decreases in educational activities,
41, 42F
increases or decreases in exchange of objects,
68F
loans of objects to storefront museums, 67F
Science technology museums, 7, 61. See also
Science museums
Security, 70, 182-83
Similar funds, 166F, 167, 172
Southeast, museums in
attendance at, 51 F
boards of trustees in, 72F
budget size of, 18F, 19, 22, 22F
construction of facilities, 126
current fund balances of, 165F
dates founded, 2F
definition and classification of, 5F, 11, 11 F
efforts to increase attendance, 58F, 59
endowment funds, 169F, 170F
extraordinary expenditures of, 163F
governing authority of, 23, 23F
income of, 152, 152F, 153F, 158F
net income of, 158F, 161 F
non-current fund balances of, 166F
operating expenditures of, 157F, 158F
types of, 13, 14-15, 14F, 21, 21 F
State museums
adequacy of operating budget, 179
admission policies of, 55F
attendance at, 49F, 50
boards of trustees in, 71
budget size of, 17, 17F, 20
current fund balances of, 165F
cutbacks in operations, 174, 174F, 175, 176F
dates founded, 2F
196
State museums (cont.)
definition and classification of, 5F, 9, 10F
directors of, 109-10, 11 1F
efforts to increase attendance, 58F, 59
efforts to increase minority employment, 116
exhibition of permanent collection, 63F
extraordinary expenditures of, 163F
full-time personnel in, 89F, 98F, 102F
income of, 143, 149F, 150F, 151, 158F
increases or decreases in educational activities,
43F
increases or decreases in exchange of objects,
69F
membership policies of, 57
need for additional staff, 120F, 121 F, 122F, 123F
net income of, 158F, 160F
operating expenditures of, 156F, 158F
part-time personnel in, 91 F, 98F
senior personnel in, 107F
special exhibitions, 65-66
types of, 13, 13F, 14-15,19
volunteer personnel in, 93F, 98F
Storefront museums, 67-69, 67F
Trustees, 71-81
by budget size of museum, 71, 72F, 73, 78
characteristics of, 73, 74F
financial contributions to museums, 76
frequency of board meetings, 77-79
by governing authority of museum, 71, 72F, 73
occupations of, 73, 76
by region, 71, 72F
relationship with director/staff, 78-81, 79F
representation of community groups, 73, 75
selection of, 76-77, 76F
terms of, 77, 78F
by type of museum, 71, 72F, 73
Type of museum, 5F, 7, 8F, 12-15, 12F, 13F, 14F.
See also Art museums; Art/History museums;
History museums; Other Combined
museums; Science museums
U
Unexpended land, buildings, equipment, and
collections funds, 166F, 167, 172
Volunteers. See Personnel
W
West, museums in
attendance at, 51 F
boards of trustees in, 72F, 78
budget size of, 18F, 22, 22F
construction of facilities, 126
current fund balances of, 165F
dates founded, 2F
definition and classification of, 5F, 11, 11F
efforts to increase attendance, 58F, 59
endowment funds, 169F, 170F, 171
extraordinary expenditures of, 163F, 164
governing authority of, 22-23, 23F
income of, 152, 152F, 153F, 158F
net income of, 158F, 161 F
non-current fund balances of, 166F
operating expenditures of, 157F, 158F
types of, 14F, 15, 21, 21 F
Zoos, 7, 61. 5ee also Science museums
Appendix
197
Following is a list of the 258 tables that
appear in Museums USA: A Survey Report.
Introduction
1 Categorization of Museums by
Classification,11 Budget Size, Governing
Authority, Region, and Size within
Major Classifications
Formation, Characteristics, and
Distribution of Museums
2 Year in which Museum was Founded
3 Classification of Museums
4 Budget Size of Museums
5 Distribution of Number of Museums by
Budget Category and Proportion of
Total Operating Expenditures
6 Governing Authority of Museums
7 Regional Distribution of Population,
Number of Museums, and total
Attendance
8 Regional Distribution of Museums by
Size and by Classification
Purposes and Functions of Museums
9 Selected Purposes Considered Very
Important by Museum Directors
10 Selected Functions Considered Very
Important by Museum Directors
11 Directors' Evaluation of the Two
Purposes Most Important to Them-
selves, to the Public, and to Trustees,
and Most Successfully Satisfied by their
Museums
12 Art Museum Directors' Evaluation of
the Two Purposes Most Important to
Themselves, to the Public, and to
Trustees, and Most Successfully Satisfied
by their Museums
13 History Museum Directors' Evaluation
of the Two Purposes Most Important
to Themselves, to the Public, and to
Trustees, and Most Successfully Satisfied
by their Museums
14 Science Museum Directors' Evaluation
of the Two Purposes Most Important to
Themselves, to the Public, and to
Trustees, and Most Successfully Satisfied
by their Museums
15 Directors' Evaluation of the Two
Functions Most Important to Them-
selves, to the Public, and to Trustees,
and Most Successfully Satisfied by their
Museums
16 Art Museum Directors' Evaluation of
the Two Functions Most Important to
Themselves, to the Public, and to
Trustees, and Most Successfully Satisfied
by their Museums
17 History Museum Directors' Evaluation
of the Two Functions Most Important
to Themselves, to the Public, and to
Trustees, and Most Successfully Satisfied
by their Museums
18 Science Museum Directors' Evaluation
of the Two Functions Most Important
to Themselves, to the Public, and to
Trustees, and Most Successfully Satisfied
by their Museums
Programs
19 Frequency of Educational and Cultural
Activities
20 Who Conducts Educational and Cultural
Activities
21 Whether School Programs were
Prepared for Elementary or Secondary
School Pupils, or Both
22 Whether School Programs were Planned
in Close Cooperation with School
Authorities or Developed by Museum
on Its Own and Then Offered
23 Whether School Programs were
Supplemented by Preparatory or
Follow-up Activity in the Schools
24 Whether Museum Has Joint Programs,
or is Affiliated, with Universities or
Colleges
25 Joint Programs Museum Has with
University or College
26 Materials Published by Museum During
Fiscal 1971-1972
aThe word "classification" refers to the five museum
types — art, history, science, art/history, and other
combined.
198
27 Most Important Educational Activities
Regularly Scheduled by Museum
28 Whether Educational Activities Have
Increased or Decreased Since 1966
29 Areas in Which Additions Have Been
Made to Educational Activities Since
1966
30 Level of Research Activity in Museum
31 Whether Museum Undertook or
Sponsored Any Formal Research
Projects During Fiscal 1971-1972
Collections and Exhibitions
32 Percentage of Permanent Collection
That is Museum's Own Property by
Legal Title
33 Average Percentage of Total Permanent
Collection Exhibited in Fiscal 1971-1972
34 Percentage of Total Permanent
Collection Exhibited in Fiscal 1971-1972
35 Proportion of Collection That Was Not
Exhibited in Fiscal 1971-1972 by
Reason for Not Being Exhibited
36 Whether Collections in Storage Were
Used for Research by Scholars Not on
Museum Staff, Fiscal 1971-1972
37 Whether Museum Had Special
Exhibitions in Fiscal 1971-1972
38 Whether Museum Would Like Special
Exhibitions and, if so, Reasons It Is
Unable to Offer Them
39 Number of Special Exhibitions Shown
During Fiscal 1971-1972
40 Aside from General Admission, Does
Museum Ever Charge for Special
Exhibitions
41 Number of Special Exhibitions
Developed by the Museum in Fiscal
1971-1972
42 Number of Special Exhibitions
Developed by Outside Source in Fiscal
1971-1972
43 Sources of Special Exhibitions Received
on Loan
44 Whether Museum Exhibited in Fiscal
1971-1972 Any Individual Objects or
Specimens Borrowed on a Short-Term
Basis
45 Sources of Individual Objects or
Specimens Loaned to Museums
46 Whether Museum Sent Out Traveling
Exhibitions in Fiscal 1971-1972
47 Number of Traveling Exhibitions Sent
Out in Fiscal 1971-1972
48 Where Museum Sent Traveling
Exhibitions in Fiscal 1971-1972
49 Whether Museum Made Objects or
Materials Available on Loan to
Storefront or Community-Based
Museums During Fiscal 1971-1972
50 Whether Museum is Planning to Make
Objects or Materials Available on Loan
to Storefront or Community-Based
Museums
51 Reasons Why Museum is Not Planning
to Make Objects or Materials Available
on Loan to Storefront or Community-
Based Museums
52 Whether Museum is Engaging More or
Less Frequently, Compared with 1966,
in the Borrowing and Loaning of
Objects and Collections
53 Reasons Why Museum is Engaging
Less Frequently in the Borrowing and
Loaning of Objects and Collections
54 Importance in Exchange of Objects of
Climate Control and Security in the
Receiving Museum
55 Whether Museum Rented Objects to
Outside Organizations or Individuals
During Fiscal 1971-1972
56 To Whom the Museum Rented Objects
During Fiscal 1971-1972
57 Total Amount Received from Rental
of Objects in Fiscal 1971-1972
58 Whether Museum Has Plans for Renting
Its Objects
59 Reasons Museum Does Not Have Plans
for Renting Its Objects
Accessibility and Attendance
60 Ranges of Attendance in Fiscal
1971-1972
61 Attendance in Fiscal 1971-1972
62 Proportion of Total Attendance by
Type of Attendance
199
63 Groups to Which Regular Museum
Activities are Primarily Directed
64 Interested in Seeing More People
Come to Museum or is Museum
Unable to Handle More People Than
Are Already Attending
65 Does Museum Use Advertising or
Publicity to Attract Larger Attendance
by General Public to See Permanent
Collection
66 What is Museum Doing to Attract
Larger Attendance by General Public
67 Made Special Efforts to Attract
Particular Groups
68 What Specific Steps have been Taken
to Increase Attendance Among Groups
69 Does Museum have Paid Membership
70 Number of Paid Members, Both
Individuals and Organizations
71 Membership Fee for Category Which
Had Largest Number of Members
72 What is Regular Museum Policy About
Charging Admission
73 Admission Policies (Fixed Fee,
Requested Donation) for Specific
Groups
74 Is Museum Open at Least One Day a
Week with No Charge
75 How Long Has Museum Been
Charging an Admission Fee or Asking
for a Donation
76 Did Museum Conduct Any Research
on Admission Fees Before Instituting
Charges
77 What Type of Research on Admission
Fees Was Conducted
78 Directors' Evaluation of What Effect
Charging Admission Fee or Asking for
Donation Has or Would Have on
Total Attendance at Museum
79 Do You Feel Charging Admission Has
Changed, or Would Change,
Composition of Your Museum's
Audience
80 Kind of Change in Audience
Composition Charging Admission
Would (or Did) Cause
81 Number of Months Museum Was
Open to Public
82 Months of Year during which Museum
Closed for at Least Two Weeks
83 Number of Hours Per Week, on
Average, Museum Was Open to Public
84 Whether Museum was Open More or
Fewer Hours in Fiscal 1971-1972,
Compared with 1966
85 During Which Days of Week Was
Museum Open Before 6 P.M.
86 Museums Open at Least One Evening
a Week
87 During Which Evenings of Week Was
Museum Open
88 Why Was Museum Not Open to Public
Any Evenings
89 Has Museum Ever Tried Opening
in the Evening
90 Why Did Museum Stop Opening in
Evenings
Personnel
91 Number and Distribution of Permanent
Full-Time Personnel
92 Number of Full-Time Permanent
Personnel Compared with Number of
Museums
93 Characteristics of Permanent Full-Time
Personnel
94 Characteristics of Permanent Full-Time
Personnel by Museum Classification
95 Has Museum Made Any Special Efforts
over Past Four or Five Years to
Broaden Minority Employment in
Professional Staff Positions
96 Does Museum Have Adequate
Representation of Minority Groups on
Professional Staff
97 Average Annual Salary: Full-Time
Permanent Personnel
98 Fringe Benefits Offered Full-Time Paid
Personnel
99 Perquisites Offered or Available to Any
of Museum Staff
100 Job Category of Senior Personnel Just
Below Director
101 How Long Held Current Position:
Senior Personnel
200
102 How Long Held Current Position:
Senior Personnel (By Budget Size within
Major Classifications)
103 Years of Experience in Museum or
Related Work: Senior Personnel
104 Years of Experience in Museum or
Related Work: Senior Personnel (By
Budget Size within Major
Classifications)
105 Age: Senior Personnel
106 Ethnic Group: Senior Personnel
107 Sex: Senior Personnel
108 Highest Grade of School Completed:
Senior Personnel
109 Formal Education that Directly Relates
to Job: Senior Personnel
110 Type of Formal Education that Directly
Relates to Job: Senior Personnel
111 Job Status: Senior Personnel
112 Union Membership: Senior Personnel
113 Annual Salary: Senior Personnel
114 Average Annual Salary: Senior
Personnel
115 Average Annual Salary of Senior
Personnel by Sex
116 Average Annual Salary of Senior
Professional Personnel by Sex
117 How Long Held Current Position, and
Years of Experience in Museum or
Related Work: Director
118 Age: Director
119 Ethnic Group: Director
120 Sex: Director
121 Highest Grade of School Completed:
Director
122 Formal Education that Directly Relates
to Job: Director
123 Type of Formal Education that Directly
Relates to Job: Director
124 Job Status: Director
125 Union Membership: Director
126 Annual Salary: Director
127 Average Annual Salary: Director
128 Average Annual Salary of Director by
Sex
129 Major Functions of Director
130 Activity that Should Be One Most
Important Responsibility of Director/
First or Second Most Important
Responsibility of Director
131 Time Spent by Director on Various
Activities
132 Not Enough Staff in Different Job
Categories
133 Job Areas in Which More Staff are
Needed — Curatorial/Display/Exhibit
134 Job Areas in Which More Staff are
Needed — Education
135 Job Areas in Which More Staff are
Needed — Operations and Support
136 Job Areas in Which More Staff are
Needed — Administration
137 Academic and/or Other Training
Considered Adequate in Functional
Categories; Salaries Considered
Adequate
138 Are There Job Categories It Would Be
Difficult to Fill Because of a Lack of
Trained or Experienced Personnel,
Assuming High Enough Salaries Could
Be Offered
139 What Job Categories Would Be
Difficult to Fill Because of a Lack of
Trained or Experienced Personnel
140 Whether Museum Has Formal Program
for In-Service Training of Own Staff
141 Training Programs for Museum
Personnel Other Than Own Staff, and
Number of Individuals Completing
Those Programs in Fiscal 1971-1972
142 Number and Distribution of Part-Time
Personnel
143 Comparison of Number of Part-Time
and Full-Time Paid Permanent
Personnel
144 Number and Distribution of Volunteers
145 Number of Volunteers, Full-Time Paid,
and Part-Time Paid Personnel
146 Characteristics of Permanent Full-Time
Personnel — Art Museums
147 Characteristics of Permanent Full-Time
Personnel — History Museums
148 Characteristics of Permanent Full-Time
Personnel — Science Museums
149 Average Annual Salary: All Personnel
201
Trustees
150 Museums with Board of Trustees or
Equivalent Overseeing Body
151 Governing Bodies of Museums That
Do Not Have Board of Trustees or
Equivalent Body
152 Characteristics of Members of Boards
of Trustees
153 Whether Broadening Representativeness
of Board of Trustees Is Generally a
Good or Bad Idea
154 Reasons Why Broadening
Representativeness of Board of Trustees
is a Good or Bad Idea
155 Whether Changes Have Been Made
Since 1966 to Broaden Representative-
ness of Board of Trustees
156 Kinds of Changes Made Since 1966 to
Broaden Representativeness of Board
of Trustees
157 Whether Director Feels Board of
Trustees has Adequate Representation
158 Whether Museum has Plans for
Changes to Broaden Representativeness
of Board of Trustees and Kinds of
Changes Planned
159 Occupations of Members of Boards of
Trustees
160 Reasons for Selection of Trustees that
Apply to Current Board
161 Proportion of Private Contributions to
Museums made by Trustees in Fiscal
1971-1972, Compared with 1966
162 Degree of Influence on Selection of
New Members of Board of Trustees
163 Methods of Choosing Trustees
164 Terms of Trustees on Board
165 Number of Terms Usually Served by
Trustees
166 Length of Time Current Trustees Have
Been Members of Board
167 Frequency of Regular Meetings of
Board of Trustees
168 Existence of Executive Committee of
Board of Trustees
169 Frequency of Meetings of Executive
Committee
170 Participation of Directors in Board of
Trustees
171 Frequency of Attendance of Staff at
Board of Trustee Meetings
172 Evaluation by Directors of Professional
Museum Staff's Understanding of
Functions and Responsibilities of Board
of Trustees
173 Evaluation by Directors of Involvement
of Board of Trustees in Nonfinancial
Programming Decisions
174 Evaluation by Directors of How Well
Informed Board of Trustees Is About
Museum's Financial Situation, Programs
and Operations
175 Directors' Evaluation of How Well
Informed Board Is About Programs and
Operations of Museum, Compared with
Evaluation of How Well Staff
Understands Board
176 Responsibility for Determining Annual
Budget of the Museum
177 Responsibility for Deciding How Much
to Spend from Endowment
178 Responsibility for Determining Capital
Improvement Needs and Organizing
Capital Drives
179 Responsibility for Making Financial
Judgments on Major Acquisitions
180 Responsibility for Making Quality
Judgments in Selecting Objects for
Acquisition
181 Responsibility for Planning Major
Exhibitions and Programs
182 Responsibility for Setting Staffing
Requirements
Facilities
183 Year in Which Primary Facilities
Currently in Use Were Built
184 Year(s) in Which Other Separate
Facilities Were Constructed or Acquired
185 Year(s) in Which Major Additions to
Existing Structures Were Completed
186 Year(s) in Which Major Renovations
Were Completed
187 Owners of Buildings and Space of
Museums Governed by Private
Nonprofit Organizations
202
188 Rent Paid by Private Nonprofit
Museums That Do Not Entirely Own
Their Buildings and Space
189 Private Nonprofit Museums Whose
Owned Buildings and Space are
Mortgaged
190 Adequacy of Exhibition Area
191 Whether Museum Owns or Rents Any
Mobile Units Sent Out in Fiscal
1971-1972
192 Adequacy of Storage Area for Museum
Collection
193 Existence of or Need for Facilities
194 Adequacy of Other Facilities
195 Does the Museum Rent Its Facilities
to Outside Individuals or Groups
196 Why Does Museum Not Rent Its
Facilities to Outside Individuals or
Groups
197 Does Museum Rent Only to Nonprofit
Organizations
198 Why Does Museum Rent Only to
Nonprofit Organizations
199 For What Purposes Does Museum
Rent Its Facilities to Outside Groups
200 Are Alcoholic Beverages Regularly
for Sale Within the Museum
201 Why Are Alcoholic Beverages Not for
Sale in the Museum
Finances and Budget
202 Total Income in Fiscal 1971-1972
203 Sources of Private Support in Fiscal
1971-1972
204 Operating Revenues in Fiscal 1971-1972
205 Non-Operating Revenues in Fiscal
1971-1972
206 Support from the Public Sector in
Fiscal 1971-1972
207 Operating Expenditures in Fiscal
1971-1972
208 Percentage Distribution of Income
and Operating Expenditures in Fiscal
1971-1972
209 Summary of Income and Operating
Expenditures in Fiscal 1971-1972
210 Percentage of Museums with Positive
or Negative Income Positions and the
Dollar Amounts Involved, Fiscal
1971-1972
211 Extraordinary Expenditures from Current
Funds in Fiscal 1971-1972
212 Current Fund Balances in Fiscal
1971-1972
213 Positive or Negative Current Fund
Balances, the Beginning and End of
Fiscal 1971-1972, and Museums With
Balances
214 Fund Balances of All Funds Other than
Current Funds in Fiscal 1971-1972
215 Additions to Fund Balances of All
Funds Other Than Current Funds in
Fiscal 1971-1972
216 Deductions from Fund Balances of All
Funds Other Than Current Funds in
Fiscal 1971-1972
217 Endowment Fund Balances in Fiscal
1971-1972
218 Additions to Endowment Fund Balances
in Fiscal 1971-1972
219 Deductions from Endowment Fund
Balances in Fiscal 1971-1972
220 Similar Fund Balances in Fiscal
1971-1972
221 Additions to Similar Fund Balances in
Fiscal 1971-1972
222 Deductions from Similar Fund Balances
in Fiscal 1971-1972
223 Unexpended Land, Buildings,
Equipment, and Collections Fund
Balances in Fiscal 1971-1972
224 Additions to Unexpended Land,
Buildings, Equipment, and Collections
Fund Balances in Fiscal 1971-1972
225 Deductions from Unexpended Land,
Buildings, Equipment, and Collections
Fund Balances in Fiscal 1971-1972
226 Directors' Evaluation of How
Successful Museum Has Been in
Controlling Costs
227 Does Museum Make Full Use of Various
Business Techniques
228 Does Museum Have an Endowment
229 What, If Any, Proportion of Endowment
Is Restricted As To Its Use
203
230 Can Principal of Any Amount Recorded
as Endowment Be Expended Upon
Designation by the Trustees and, If So,
What Proportion
231 On What Proportion of Endowment
Principal Can Currently Realized Capital
Gains Be Used for Current Income
Purposes
232 Whether Capital Cains on the
Endowment Were Realized During
Fiscal 1971-1972 and, If So, Used for
Current Income Purposes
233 Whether Director Approves or
Disapproves of Use of Capital Cains
as Part of Endowment Income
234 Reasons Director Approves or
Disapproves of Use of Capital Gains
as Part of Endowment Income
235 Directors' Evaluation of Attitude of
Board of Trustees Regarding Use of
Capital Gains as Part of Endowment
Income
236 Necessity for Cutbacks in Facilities,
Services or Staff Since 1966
237 Cutbacks Necessary Since 1966
238 Specified Cutbacks Necessary Since
1966
239 Operating Costs Compared to 1966
240 What Has Been Percentage Increase
in Operating Costs Since 1966
241 Primary Reasons for Increase in
Operating Costs
242 Percentage Distribution of Operating
Budget Among Program Areas
243 Whether Current Operating Budget
Enables Full Utilization of Resources
244 Ways in Which Funding Increases in
Next Two to Three Years Would Be
Spent
245 Quality of Service Over Next Few
Years with Expected Budget
246 If Had Sufficient Funds for Any
Improvements Over Next Five to Ten
Years, in Which Two or Three Areas
Would They Be Spent
247 Areas in Which the Need for Additional
Money Is Felt To Be Very Serious
248 Mean Operating Expenditures for
Security, Conservation, and Climate
Control in Fiscal 1971-1972
249 Mean Increase Needed in Operating
Expenditures for Security, Conservation,
and Climate Control
250 How Conservation Work is
Accomplished at Museum
251 Preferred Way to Have Conservation
Work Done
252 Attitude of Board Toward Assumption
of Debt
253 How Sure that Income from Various
Sources Will Achieve Projected Levels
Over Next Few Years, By Private
Nonprofit and Educational Institution
Museums
254 How Sure that Income from Various
Sources Will Achieve Projected Levels
Over Next Few Years, By All Museums
255 The Two or Three Museum Programs
Offered by the National Endowment
for the Arts Felt To Be Most
Beneficial to the Museum
256 Other Programs Museum Directors
Believe Should Receive Financial
Support
257 Applicable Programs Offered by the
National Endowment for the Arts Felt
To Be of Little Value to the Museum
258 How Important Will Various Income
Sources Be in Future
a U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1975 O - 568-775
Sir
%s
M.1
.N37
design:
david hausmann
dianecroyle
kathyjungjohann
graphs:
sparkman and bartholomew associates, inc.