GUEST COLUMN: Allow public funds to support museums

For The Daily Gazette

The recent news about miSci’s possible closure is troubling — not just for miSci, but for Schenectady, and for the people who live here.

Our leaders have transformed Schenectady into a vibrant city in the last decade. It’s impressive.

But there is still work to be done.

Our leaders need to do a better job of supporting the museums and cultural resources that make Schenectady a truly thriving city.

Part of the problem with supporting them is that our Schenectady museums receive little to no public funding.

Why should public funds be used to support museums?

Let’s look at the data:

The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) notes that “Support for museums is robust regardless of political persuasion.”

According to the AAM:

• 96% of Americans would approve of lawmakers who acted to support museums.” It seems Americans really value museums in their communities:

• 97% of Americans believe that museums are educational assets for their communities.

• 89% believe that museums contribute important economic benefits to their community.

• 96% want to maintain or increase federal funding for museums.

Museums are also economic engines.

Erika Sanger is the executive director of the Museum Association of New York and works hard to advocate for New York’s museums.

To use her words, “Too many of our museums operate in a culture of scarcity, struggling to pay bills and wondering each year how they will keep their doors open.

“Museums need support to ensure the protection of their collections, to strengthen their roles as community education partners chartered by New York State’s Education Department, and to grow their role as economic engines generating $5.37B to the state’s economy.”

A local museum has the power to change lives.

Let’s take the Schenectady County Historical Society and Mabee Farm Historic Site as an example.

Every year, we see over 23,000 visitors, including 3,000 school children.

We present programs that educate, entertain and inspire. We provide vital spaces for social interaction, reflection and the opportunity to engage freely with new ideas.

Our programs help make Schenectady a better place to live.

We do this without steady or substantial public support.

Schenectady’s libraries and theaters receive tax dollars; why not our museums?

Still not convinced museums are deserving of local funding? Here are a few more facts from AAM:

More people visit art museums, science centers, historic houses or sites, zoos, or aquariums than attend professional sporting events.

Children who visited a museum during kindergarten had higher achievement scores in reading, mathematics and science in third grade than children who did not.

The American public regards museums as highly trustworthy—ranking second only to friends and family.

Plus, the American public considers museums a more reliable source of historical information than books, teachers or even personal accounts by relatives.

In determining America’s Best Cities, Bloomberg placed the greatest weight on “leisure amenities,” including density of museums.

I’m proud to call myself a Schenectadian. I can’t imagine living anywhere else. And, along with so many others, I believe firmly that museums are essential to the fabric of Schenectady.

But let’s make sure they have a place here forever.

Investing in our local museums is an investment in the vibrancy and well-being of Schenectady.

Investment in our museums enhances our cultural identity, boosts our economic development and, above all, ensures our museums will be here for a very long time to come.

Mary Zawacki is executive director of the Schenectady County Historical Society and Mabee Farm Historic Site.