Human Resources and Economic Performance in US Art Museums During the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis

This study examines how human resources affected the economic performance of the top 100 US art museums during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using Form 990 data and forward linear regression, we find that management and general expenses had the strongest positive impact on revenue generation, followed by the numbers of employees, volunteers, and board members, while fundraising expenses had no significant effect. The results highlight the value of internal coordination and volunteer involvement in maintaining museum operations during crisis periods and suggest that strategic investment in human capital contributes to stronger financial performance in the US art museum sector.