Museum Directors Fear Permanent Closure, an Alliance Survey Shows

In an American Alliance of Museums survey published Wednesday, 16 percent of American museum directors who responded to it said there was a high risk that their museums could close in the next 16 months if they do not find additional funding.

Another 17 percent said they did not know if they would survive without further financial help from governments and private donors, according to the survey.

“Museum revenue disappeared overnight when the pandemic closed all cultural institutions, and sadly, many will never recover,” Laura Lott, the alliance’s president and chief executive, said in a news release. “Even with a partial reopening in the coming months, costs will outweigh revenue and there is no financial safety net for many museums.”

The country’s museums have been casualties of the coronavirus, incurring steep financial hits. Museums in the United States are vulnerable because they rely heavily on earned income and philanthropy, and they receive fewer government subsidies than European institutions.