UNESCO: 10% of Museums May Never Reopen Due to COVID-19

A UNESCO report reveals that 90.5% of museums worldwide—over 85,000 of the 95,000 institutions surveyed across 88 member states—were forced to close due to the pandemic. The study, presented by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, provides a first assessment of COVID-19's impact on the museum sector. It highlights that museums are unevenly distributed globally: 65% are in North America and Western Europe, 34% in Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific, but only 0.9% in Africa and 0.5% in Arab states. Despite these disparities, closures affected museums on every continent equally. The International Council of Museums (ICOM) warns that more than one in ten museums may never reopen, particularly private institutions heavily reliant on visitor income. In response, museums rapidly expanded their online presence, with over 800 virtual initiatives identified, including robot-guided tours at Hastings Contemporary in the UK and "cocktails with curators" at the Frick Collection in New York. Italy's GAMEC in Bergamo launched an online radio program. However, the digital divide is stark: only 5% of museums in Africa and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) could offer virtual content. Azoulay urged strengthening policies to support museums, which play essential roles in culture, education, social cohesion, and the creative economy.