The museum compared to other institutions
How much trust do museums enjoy compared to other organizations? Museum employees should be pleased.
A lot is said, written and whispered about precarious and temporary employment. Let's take a look: How many people work in museums? And how many of them are paid?
We collect the latest studies on museums in German-speaking countries. There are some exciting statistics that provide an insight into visitor numbers, backgrounds and structures.
Did you know that around 40% of staff in Swiss museums work on a voluntary basis? Around 7500 people dedicate their time and passion to communicating culture, knowledge and history.
Curators are probably the best known. However, the majority of exhibition venues need a lot of support in all areas - from administration to technology. Here are the most important figures:
Switzerland 🇨🇭
🏛 1,161 museums
In total, there are around 11,400 employees and 7,500 volunteers.
📍 The 11,400 employees in the museums correspond to a good 6,000 full-time equivalents. This indicates a high proportion of part-time employees.
👉 62% of museum employees are women. Their proportion is higher in art museums (68%) and lower in technical museums (50%).
To make the information even clearer, we have presented it in infographics.
Why is this important? Because these people make cultural experiences possible! They organize tours, curate exhibitions, share knowledge—and much more.
To put it positively: The experience and passion of museum staff are extremely valuable and make an important contribution to society.
To put it critically: Not everyone can afford to work unpaid or part-time. The museum sector benefits from unpaid labor by saving resources while still employing qualified staff. However, this can lead to a dependency on volunteers.
In any case, I would like to sincerely thank all museum staff! You are the heroes behind the scenes who keep our culture alive.
P.S. Wonnder is the new name for Audio-Cult and a web-based audio guide platform for museums that enables audio guides without an app or download.
Sources: Federal Statistical Office
How are great audio experiences created?
