Overview
- New data from the American Alliance of Museums shows cancellations at roughly one in three institutions, most often from IMLS, NEH and NEA.
- About two-thirds of affected museums say lost funding was not replaced, with limited recovery via private donors, agency appeals or a May court ruling that temporarily blocked dismantling of agencies including IMLS.
- Operational fallout includes deferred construction and renovation, pared-back education and outreach for students, rural communities, people with disabilities, older adults and veterans, and some staff layoffs.
- The survey reflects 511 responses from 6,712 museum directors invited to participate, an estimated 8% response rate.
- Directors report softening attendance and expect continued disruption into 2026 driven by shifts in philanthropy, inflation, travel trends, market instability and political polarization.