Museums and Cultural Centers

The Occupational Outlook Handbook reports that employment of archivists, curators, and museum workers is expected to increase by about 11 percent, much faster than the average for all occupations, through 2033. As museums focus on education and service to the community, public programs and education staff are likely to be somewhat protected. Archivists, especially those with expertise in electronic records management, will be in demand as public and private institutions have more information and records that require organization. Opportunities for curators will be fueled by continued public interest in science, art, history, and technology. According to a report by the research group IBISWorld, the growth of virtual and augmented reality experiences are enabling museum visitors to "access artwork and artifacts in a new way and offer a more immersive experience. However, the popularity of digital educational experiences that proliferated during the pandemic has begun to threaten science, nature, and technology museums, as many schools and families find the low cost and high interactivity of digital learning more effective."

The museums and cultural centers industry experienced serious setbacks in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Many museums and cultural centers closed and postponed events due to business lockdowns, restrictions on gatherings, and social distancing requirements. During the pandemic, many museums transitioned to virtual arts experiences, with online programming such as remote tours of museums, live concerts, ballet, films, classes, and other events. The pandemic caused an economic slowdown that further reduced funding for museums and cultural centers. According to the U.S. government research group Argonne National Laboratory, the National Endowment for the Arts (through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, awarded $75 million to support struggling nonprofit arts organizations with staff salaries, artists' or contractual personnel fees, and facility costs. Some states and local governments also set up relief programs for artists, musicians, and other creative professions, and private donations will continue to help sustain some museums and cultural institutions.

According to a 2024 survey by the American Alliance of Museums, museums are slowly recovering since the pandemic, with a growing number of museums experiencing pre-pandemic attendance norms. "Prior to the pandemic, we typically saw somewhere between 25 percent and 31 percent of U.S. adults reporting they had been to the museum in the past year. In 2024, 33 percent of U.S. adults reported having been to a museum in the past year ... slightly exceeding pre-pandemic norms." The AAM noted, however, that while the attendance had been increasing, repeat visitation wasn't yet back to where it had been prior to the pandemic. Also, of the people who made repeat visits to museums, the survey found that parents and guardians of minor children have been the slowest to return.

The U.S. museums industry was valued at $16.9 billion in revenue in February 2024, according to the research group IBISWorld. Slow but steady growth in the museums industry through 2029, due to the economic recovery and rebound in the tourism and travel sectors after the pandemic. Demand for travel coupled with increased disposable income will contribute to growth for museums and cultural centers. Inbound trips by non-U.S. residents as well as domestic trips by U.S. residents are also projected to rise in the coming years, benefiting museums and cultural centers that are located in major tourist destinations. However, museums and other cultural institutions are often subject to funding cuts during recessions or periods of budget tightening.

There is strong competition for jobs as archivists, curators, museum technicians, and conservators because the number of qualified applicants is far greater than the number of job openings. Prime archivist jobs will go to graduates with highly specialized training, such as master's degrees in both library science and history, with a concentration in archives or records management and extensive computer skills. Those interested in curator positions may have to work part time as interns, volunteer assistant curators, or research associates after completing their formal education. Substantial work experience in collection management, exhibit design, or restoration, as well as database management skills, will be necessary for permanent status. Job opportunities for curators should be best in art and history museums, the largest employers in the museum industry.

In order to accurately represent different cultures, museums are actively recruiting people from minority, indigenous, and ethnic populations to work in a variety of museum functions, including as curators, technicians, educators, designers, and accountants.