There are few sources of detailed, reliable, comprehensive, current
statistics for museums.  AAM's Museums Count, while valuable, is no
longer entirely current. AAM is currently collecting financial data on
both member and non-member institutions on an annual basis.

A group composed of representatives from several museum associations is
working on a "sustainability" project -- the idea being to figure out
what data will be relevant across disciplines and can be collected in a
sustained way.

For what it's worth, I put together a list of 21 largest attendance
figures at art museums (in response to a press inquiry) through looking
at the 1998 Official Museum Directory.  Don't claim absolutely that it's
error-free but it's probably pretty good.  My cut-off point was 400,000.
Would be happy to share.

Finally, list members should be aware that IMLS has the National Awards
for Museum Service, which spotlights three museums annually for the
excellence of their educational programming.  Hope I got that right.
Contact IMLS Office of Museum Services for more information.
http://www.imls.fed.us

Andy Finch
AAM Government Affairs
[log in to unmask]

UNOFFICIAL COMMUNICATION

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Peter REBERNIK [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 1998 8:06 AM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Re: largest U.S. museums
>
> 1) Would like to know your name and your institution.
> 2) If finished, please send the result via email back to us, thanks in
> advance for not forgetting.
> 3)To avoid the over-importance of figures like attendance, budget
> etc.:
> Isn't there an OSCAR (I'd call it the ATLAS, better: the HADES,
> because
> there all objects are preserved for eternity :-))) for museums? Based
> on the
> voices & election of the members of ICOM, AAM or ASTC or EXCITE or the
> press
> ...Like: Best Exhibition / Best visitor services / Best school or
> out-reach
> programs / best interpretation / best display of objects / best
> preservation
> or restauration / best management / Most friendly personnel / Best
> science
> museum, best art museum, best ethnology, best ... etc. THE WINNER IS
> .....
>
> See you all the first HADES award in 2000 in the Metropolitan Opera in
> New York.
>
> Peter, the Rebernik
> ................................
>
> At 16:17 13.04.98 -0600, you wrote:
> >I'm looking for a listing of the top 25 U.S. art museums by the
> following:
> >
> >attendance
> >endowment
> >operating budget
> >holdings
> >
> >Any help would be greatly appreciated.
> >
> >[log in to unmask]
> >
> >-----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion
> ==-----
> >http://www.dejanews.com/   Now offering spam-free web-based
> newsreading
> >
> >
>
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