Why are museums awesome? Here’s some fast facts on why you should support your local museums.
Museums are good for well-being. Several studies have shown the personal and communal benefits of visiting museums. These include studies by Norwegian University for Science and Technology, the California Academy of Sciences, London School of Economics, and Americans for the Arts which showed that museums…
• Help lower the risk of anxiety and depression.
• Increase your well-being to the same degree as making an additional $5,301 per year.
• Help unify our communities, according to 72% of Americans.
• Lead to higher civic engagement, more social cohesion, higher child welfare, and lower poverty rates.
• Are in the Top 5 (out of 40) interventions and treatments for the mental, physical, and moral injuries of war.
Our Economy Depends on the Arts. Additionally, data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis and National Endowment for the Arts showed that in 2015, the arts and cultural sector contributed over $763 billion to the economy – roughly 42% of the overall U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In Kentucky, the arts sector added $4.7 billion to the state’s economy and employs over 51,000 people. Kentucky also ranked 5th of the 18 rural states in value added by the arts.
Employers Love Museums. Most U.S. employers (97%) say creativity is increasingly important to them. Through applied learning opportunities, museums like ours empower students with the creative skills, hands-on engagement, and ability to craft engaging stories that make them valuable “creative people” sought after by employers. As we expand student and community opportunities, we bring greater value added to encouraging the next generation of creative-minded leaders.
Want to support our work? Join the Kentucky Museum Friends online at http://alumni.wku.edu/kymuseummem or by calling Tiffany Isselhardt at 270-745-3369.
This article sponsored by the Kentucky Department of Tourism.
-by Tiffany Isselhardt
About the Author: Tiffany Isselhardt is the Development and Marketing Manager for the Kentucky Museum, where she uses her knowledge of museums and community collaboration to foster greater opportunities for engagement and increase the Museum’s financial resources. With a Master’s in Public History, she also curates exhibitions and continues researching and publishing on female representation in museums.
