Skip to main content

Full text of "Museums USA"

See other formats


museums 
usa 


national  endowment  for  the  arts 


^_ __ 

1 

■ 

■ 

Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

Boston  Library  Consortium  Member  Libraries 


http://archive.org/details/museumsusa1974nati 


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.