In Fall of 2023, the Institute of Museum and Library Services commissioned a Congressionally-mandated study to understand the state of infrastructure of museums and public libraries across the United States, particularly those located in rural, underserved or disaster-prone areas. The research design specifically considers the challenges that arise across museum types, including those with living collections, that have historical landmark or designation status, or that maintain collections with specific preservation needs.
This session will contribute knowledge to the conference themes by providing a set of up-to-date findings about current needs for museums so that the field, funders, and policymakers can direct resources and investments to the greatest areas of need that will support sustainability of our nation’s cultural assets.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the goals and scope of the study and why the study is being undertaken.
- Examine key areas of research within the study and how the data collection efforts will generate new information for the entirety of the museum field.
- Explore how the study will advance understanding of museum facilities' conditions and needs at a national level.
- Learn about the timeline for the release of the final findings and opportunities to provide feedback to shape final reporting.
