85% of All US Museums Need Repairs, Study Finds
11May 8, 2026
According to a survey conducted in March by the US Government Accountability Office, a whopping 85% of all museums in the United States are in need of repair; even more dire, 77% of US museums have at least one structural issue that puts their collections at risk, according toThe Art Newspaper.
While federal funding isgenerally availableto museums in the country, construction-related expenses don’t fall under the umbrella of costs that would qualify for a federal stipend, the GAO stated. Additionally, 73% of the museums surveyed—about 11,900 museums—cited at least one building system or facility issue that poses a potential health or safety concern.
The data, a spokesperson for the American Alliance of Museums told The Art Newspaper, “aligns very closely with what we’ve been hearing from museums across the country for years. Museums of all sizes are managing aging buildings and systems while operating with limited and often unpredictable funding. Deferred maintenance is not just a facilities issue; it directly affects a museum’s ability to care for its collections, serve its community and remain open and accessible to the public. What would help most is sustained investment that recognizes facilities as essential infrastructure.”
Overhauls, renovations and repairs are commonplace for any institution, large or small; just ask New York-based general contractor firm Sciame Construction, which was recently shouldered with the task of executing renovations at the Frick, the New Museum and the Studio Museum in Harlem simultaneously, per Curbed.
But the thousands of smaller museums across the country, many of which are situated within historic homes, don’t have the deep coffers accessible to coastal city institutions. “If they need a new roof or a new HVAC or something that is high-cost, it can be really difficult because that could be a third of their budget,” David Marroni, the director of physical infrastructure at GAO, told The Art Newspaper.