NAICS 712

Museums, Historical Sites, & Similar Institutions

NAICS 712: Museums, historical sites, botanical gardens, and cultural institutions. Smithsonian, funding models, and preservation.

Published by VantaInsights Research·Methodology·Data Sources· AI-drafted
Built on data from Census Bureau CBP Bureau of Labor Statistics Federal Reserve FRED SEC EDGAR

Industry at a Glance

Sector-wide aggregates across all businesses classified under NAICS 712 (2017 classification frame). For specific sub-industries within this sector, see the individual reports below.

Employment
155K
US Census CBP · 2023 · NAICS 2017
Establishments
8,178
US Census CBP · 2023 · NAICS 2017
Annual Payroll
$7.1B
US Census CBP · 2023 · NAICS 2017
Avg Annual Wage
$45,647
Derived from US Census CBP · 2023 · NAICS 2017
Market Size
$21.8B
US Census Economic Census · 2022 · NAICS 2017

Industry Overview

Museums, historical sites, and similar institutions (NAICS 712) covers organizations dedicated to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting objects of historical, cultural, scientific, or artistic significance. This includes art museums, natural history museums, science centers, historical sites, botanical gardens, arboreta, and planetariums. The subsector spans the Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums and the National Zoo (operating on approximately $1.6 billion in annual federal appropriations), major privately endowed institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Getty Center, and thousands of small community historical societies and nature centers.

Revenue structures vary dramatically by institution type. The Smithsonian offers free admission funded by congressional appropriation. The Met operates on a suggested-admission model supplemented by its $3.6 billion endowment and fundraising. Most institutions rely on a mix of admissions, memberships, grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), corporate sponsorships, facility rentals, and retail operations. The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) administers the national accreditation program that sets professional standards for collections care, governance, and public service.

The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and its Section 106 review process govern federal actions affecting historic properties, while the National Register of Historic Places provides the formal inventory of sites deemed worthy of preservation. State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPOs) administer federal preservation programs at the state level. Tax incentives under the Federal Historic Tax Credit (26 USC 47) have driven billions in private investment in historic rehabilitation projects since the program's expansion in 1981.

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Industry Trends

NAGPRA

The Smithsonian and the Met are leading major repatriation initiatives, returning Indigenous artifacts and colonial-era acquisitions in response to updated NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act) regulations finalized in 2024

02

Immersive exhibition formats pioneered by Meow Wolf (Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Houston) and traveling shows like the Van Gogh and Monet immersive experiences are blurring the line between museum education and entertainment, drawing new audiences while sparking institutional debate

IMLS

IMLS and NEH grant funding faces annual appropriations uncertainty, pushing institutions toward endowment building, earned revenue diversification, and corporate partnership models to reduce federal funding dependence

$7+

Federal Historic Tax Credits continue to drive private investment in historic site rehabilitation, with the program generating an estimated $7+ billion annually in rehabilitation spending concentrated in downtown commercial districts

4.5M

Digital collection access through platforms like the Smithsonian Open Access initiative (releasing 4.5 million images to the public domain) and the Google Arts & Culture partnership are extending institutional reach beyond physical visitation

Specialty Reports Available on Request

4 specialty industriesavailable on request
▾
Museums
712110View →
Historical Sites
712120View →
Zoos & Botanical Gardens
712130View →
Nature Parks & Other Similar Institutions
712190View →

Industry Groups

Browse deeper into the NAICS hierarchy.

71210 reports

Museums, Historical Sites, & Similar Institutions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NAICS 712? ▾
NAICS 712 classifies museums, historical sites, botanical gardens, arboreta, nature centers, and planetariums that serve educational and cultural preservation missions. The US has approximately 35,000 such institutions according to IMLS counts. The Smithsonian Institution, with 21 museums and the National Zoo, is the largest museum complex, attracting over 22 million annual visitors.
How do museums fund their operations? ▾
Funding models vary by institution type. The Smithsonian receives roughly $1.6 billion in annual federal appropriations supplemented by trust funds. The Metropolitan Museum of Art relies on its $3.6 billion endowment, suggested admissions, and fundraising. Most institutions combine admissions revenue, membership programs, NEH and IMLS grants, corporate sponsorships, facility rentals, and retail sales. Government funding and philanthropy typically account for 50-70% of nonprofit museum revenue.
What is the Federal Historic Tax Credit and how does it affect historic sites? ▾
The Federal Historic Tax Credit (26 USC 47) provides a 20% income tax credit for qualified rehabilitation of certified historic structures listed on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. The program has stimulated an estimated $7+ billion annually in private rehabilitation investment, concentrated in adaptive reuse of downtown commercial buildings. State historic tax credit programs in 38 states provide additional incentives that stack with the federal credit.
How is NAGPRA affecting museum collections? ▾
Updated NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act) regulations finalized in 2024 strengthen requirements for museums to inventory, consult with, and return Indigenous human remains, funerary objects, and sacred items to lineal descendants and affiliated tribes. The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian and institutions like Harvard's Peabody Museum are conducting large-scale repatriation reviews that are reshaping collections and curatorial practices across the sector.
What role does the American Alliance of Museums play? ▾
AAM administers the national museum accreditation program, the only recognized standard of professional excellence for US museums. Accreditation evaluates governance, collections stewardship, education programs, and public service. Only about 1,100 of 35,000 US museums hold AAM accreditation. AAM also publishes professional standards, convenes the annual conference, and advocates for museum funding and policy interests at the federal level.

Related Industries

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, & Related Industries 711Amusement, Gambling, & Recreation Industries 713Educational Services 611Administration of Human Resource Programs 923Other Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services 5419

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