Museums are struggling with attendance. Try out one of these 8 kid-friendly museums in the U.S.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, museums around the world are slowly getting their number of visitors back to normal. But according to the American Alliance of Museums, as of a year ago, only one-third of museums have reached the kind of attendance they had before the pandemic.

A visit to a museum can have a variety of positive effects. Museums provide a way to explore, learn and enjoy history.

Per the Museums Association, “Museums can increase our sense of wellbeing, help us feel proud of where we have come from, can inspire, challenge and stimulate us, and make us feel healthier.”

Why are museums struggling with attendance?

There are several potential factors contributing to poor museum attendance. One culprit could be a general shift in tourism.

“Interest on the part of younger people has waned in some places and regional demographics have changed,” according to The New York Times.

The American Alliance of Museums pointed to other reasons — including a decrease in student field trips, as schools attempt to compensate for lost time.

Either way, many museums have taken steps to increase their number of visitors.

According to The New York Times, some of those methods include “featuring newer and sometimes lesser-known artists, catering more to local audiences, and adding technological enhancements to attract nontraditional visitors.”

Hospitality and accessibility are both factors museum directors are considering when bringing people through their doors.

8 great museums your children will love

If you’ve been itching to visit a museum or two, the summer is a great time to plan a visit. Here is a list of popular museums that your kids will love:

1. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Located in New York City, this museum “presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy.”
2. The Art Institute of Chicago. Founded in 1879, the institute is one of the oldest art museums in the country.
3. Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. The largest children’s museum in the world features exhibits on pop culture, spaceships, dinosaurs and more.
4. Pearl Harbor National Memorial. For an opportunity to teach your children more about U.S. history, consider a visit to Pearl Harbor.
5. Museum of Fine Arts. Located in Boston, this museum showcases artifacts from around the globe.
6. Johnny Cash Museum. If you’re a music fan, this museum in Nashville, Tennessee, will rock your world. It features the largest collection of Johnny Cash artifacts.
7. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Beyond the collection of various planes hanging from above, the museum also boasts a planetarium and an exhibit on aerobatic flight.
8. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Washington, D.C., has a large variety of museums, and this one is particularly famous. You can discover animals and ancient art from around the globe and admission is free.

Museums in Utah

If you’re a Utah local, there are plenty of museums to explore close to home:

• The Utah Museum of Fine Arts.
• Springville Museum of Art.
• Southern Utah Museum of Art.
• Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art.
• Brigham Young University Museum of Art.
• Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum.
• The Leonardo.
• Clark Planetarium.