Share of museum visitors in the U.S. 2024, by ethnicity

According to a 2024 survey conducted in the United States, individuals who identified as Asians or Asian Americans were the most likely to have visited a museum over the previous 12 months. While 46 percent of Asian or Asian American respondents reported having been to a museum in the past year, 35 percent of people identifying as white stated the same. 

How big is the museum market in the United States?

The market size of the museum industry in the United States amounted to nearly 17 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, growing by roughly three percent over the previous year. Meanwhile, the number of employees in the U.S. museum industry exceeded 74,000 in 2023. This figure was expected to decline slightly in 2024. 

What are the most popular U.S. museums?

In 2023, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York was the U.S. institution ranking highest among the most visited museums worldwide, followed by the American Museum of Natural History, also in New York. Overall, attendance at the Metropolitan Museum surpassed five million in 2023, increasing sharply over the previous year, but remaining below pre-pandemic levels.