The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic posed unprecedented challenges for museums in North America in 2020 and 2021, with institutions having to close for long periods to limit the spread of the virus. According to a study released shortly after the pandemic's outbreak, nearly 93 percent of museums reported being closed as of May 2020. While this scenario improved significantly over the following months, around 15 percent of museums were still closed to the public in May 2021. As of that month, only 20 percent of surveyed North American museums were open as usual, whereas 50 percent claimed to be either open or closed on a local basis.
Distribution of museums in North America as of May 2020, October 2020, and May 2021, by operational status
April 7 to May 7, 2020; September 7 to October 7, 2020; April 15 to May 29, 2021
Number of respondents
approx. 70*
Special properties
museum employees and governance
Supplementary notes
*The source specifies that the May 2021 survey was based on around 840 responses. The sample size for North America was calculated by Statista based on the information provided by the source (respondents from North America = 8.3 percent of the total sample).
Survey count for May 2020 = approximately 320 (North America = 20 percent of around 1,600 total responses)
Survey count for October 2020 = approximately 82 (North America = 9.1 percent of around 900 responses).
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International Council of Museums. (July 5, 2021). Distribution of museums in North America as of May 2020, October 2020, and May 2021, by operational status [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1282623/museums-in-north-america-by-operational-status/
International Council of Museums. "Distribution of museums in North America as of May 2020, October 2020, and May 2021, by operational status." Chart. July 5, 2021. Statista. Accessed November 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1282623/museums-in-north-america-by-operational-status/
International Council of Museums. (2021). Distribution of museums in North America as of May 2020, October 2020, and May 2021, by operational status. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: November 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1282623/museums-in-north-america-by-operational-status/
International Council of Museums. "Distribution of Museums in North America as of May 2020, October 2020, and May 2021, by Operational Status." Statista, Statista Inc., 5 Jul 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1282623/museums-in-north-america-by-operational-status/
International Council of Museums, Distribution of museums in North America as of May 2020, October 2020, and May 2021, by operational status Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1282623/museums-in-north-america-by-operational-status/ (last visited November 22, 2024)
Distribution of museums in North America as of May 2020, October 2020, and May 2021, by operational status [Graph], International Council of Museums, July 5, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1282623/museums-in-north-america-by-operational-status/
