IMLS Launches the First Ever National Museum Survey

Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today the launch of the first-ever National Museum Survey (NMS) dedicated to understanding the scope and scale of museums’ presence and reach within the United States. This survey will help inform the museum field, policymakers, the public, and the media about the social, cultural, educational, and economic role that the nation’s museums play in American society.

“Institutions’ participation in this survey is vital,“ said IMLS Deputy Director of the Office of Museum Services Laura Huerta Migus. “By contributing, you help illuminate the powerful role museums play as economic drivers, employers, and guardians of our nation’s heritage. Together, we can quantify the impact of museums and strengthen the entire field.”

IMLS encourages participation from a variety of types of institutions, including some that may not typically identify themselves as museums such as zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, and arboretums; nature and science centers; history museums and historic sites; art museums; children’s museums; natural history museums; and specialized museums.

IMLS expects to release survey results in early summer 2025 both through reports and through a dynamic data portal that will allow institutions to compare their data with their peers’ summary results. This marks the first time that the field will have statistically valid national data from which to draw valuable insights, illustrate trends, provide benchmarking, and help inform data-based decisions.

If you received an invitation to participate in the NMS and encounter any issues entering your institution’s data please email NMS@imls.gov. Please complete this online form if your institution would like to participate but hasn’t already received an invitation

Visit us online at imls.gov/nms to learn more about the National Museum Survey.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about our diverse natural and cultural heritage. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.