New reports have indicated that museums around the world face enormous challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with one report indicating that one in eight museums worldwide may never reopen again.
The report, “Museums, museum professionals and COVID-19”, was compiled by the International Council of Museums (ICOM). Its findings reveal that 82.6% of those surveyed anticipate that museum programmes will have to be reduced, and 29.8% expect that the number of staff they employ will have to be lowered due to the economic fallout of the pandemic.
Sadly, 12.8% of respondents fear that their museum might actually close permanently. Additionally, 19.2% expressed uncertainty regarding their ability to continue operating, particularly in regions where museums are relatively new and structures still fragile. This anxiety is amplified in 24% of African museums, 27% of Asian museums and 39% of those in Arab countries, contrasting sharply with only 12% of museums in Latin America and the Caribbean, 10% in North America, and 8% in Europe.
A report by Unesco has also indicated that 90% of 95,000 museums worldwide have temporarily closed in recent months. “The impact of these closures is not only economic but also social,” it states. “Museums play a vital role in our societies.” The Unesco report, called “Museums around the world in the face of COVID-19”, emphasizes that museums strengthen social cohesion, foster creativity, and serve as conveyors of collective memory.
Moreover, their role in promoting tourism is a critical driver of sustainable economic development, both locally and nationally, which will be essential for overcoming the crisis in the coming months and year.
Lockdowns are easing globally as the planet adjusts to a new normal.
