Museums boost economy,
survey finds

Star-Bulletin staff

Museums in Hawaii brought in $154 million in total revenues last year and since 30 percent of that money comes from tourists, they are a valuable way of making money from out of state, a new study concludes.

Using the same multipliers state statisticians use to describe the way money circulates, museums contribute $339 million to the economy, says the study done by the School of Travel Industry Management at the University of Hawaii for the Hawaii Museums Association.

The study was presented at a news conference yesterday at the Honolulu Academy of the Arts whose executive director, George Ellis, is president of the museums association. Ellis said the study shows museums generate more direct revenues than the top 10 diversified agriculture crops in Hawaii put together.

Counting historic sites, botanical gardens, art centers, nature centers zoos and other attractions, the association lists 94 properties it considers museums. They provide more than 5,000 jobs and create household income of $143 million, according to the study.

"I was struck by the impact museums have, socially, economically and personally," said Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono. "The numbers need to be repeated and repeated to raise the consciousness of our leaders," she said.

The museums group said the study shows that museums get only 19 percent of their funding from government, including 7 percent from the state. Every dollar of state funding generates $14.50 in other revenues, after the multiplier effect is added, the association said.

They get 54 percent of their funding as earned income, from admissions and sales of materials and services.

Their second-largest source of income, 27 percent of the total, is from individual and private-foundation contributions.