Museums find ways to stay afloat

New Home for the Judah L. Magnes Museum

The recession has affected everything, including the arts. Unfortunately, nothing has escaped the impact of budget cuts, decreases in donations and rising debt. Museums across the country are struggling to keep their collections together as well as their doors open. However, the difficult times often teach one to be resourceful and creative to survive.

Many private museums are pairing up with local universities to help with the upkeep of the collections. In California, the Magnes Museum has enlisted the help of the University of California-Berkeley to house their collection of prized Jewish art. Even with university budget cuts, the belief is that an academic institution would be better equipped to fund and display the art rather than private collectors. From museum to museum, it varies as to whether the university will help the budget and/or provide a venue for the art to be viewed. In Portland, Ore., the Museum of Contemporary Craft (founded in 1937 as a ceramics studio) has joined with the Pacific Northwest College of Art to help defray the cost of the debt. The school aids in fund-raising and giving support.

While many of the monetary problems stem from the market crash in 2008, some of the problems result from large-scale expansions that resulted in great amounts of debt. This has caused many museums to assess how they will approach their spending. The mergers are a way of preserving the cultural aspects that make this country so interesting. There are still risks involved, however, with the merges. The higher-education institutions are experiencing the same cutbacks many museums are facing. Shrinking endowments, decreasing funds from the state and almost 10% less donations in 2008 compared to 2007 are major concerns to both museums and universities. However, museum directors are finding solutions to ensure their museums remain open and accessible. (http://bit.ly/aCIKFq)

Discussing budgets and money is like pulling a Band-Aid off. It is not fun, but in the end helps one to understand the situation better. As with most things, it will take time for the economy to get back to normal; but in the meantime, creative and resourceful decisions are being made to preserve our country’s culture.