Museums and libraries are appearing increasingly often in the news—although not for reasons you'd hope. Headlines in recent months include Keighly News reporting a ‘consultation over planned cuts to library hours’ and the Museums Association announcing a ‘Warning over closure of sites as Museum Wales grapples with budget cut’.

Such bleak news reveals an unfortunate truth: either people are losing interest in museums and libraries or else governments and councils are simply ignorant as to how much they matter to people. Whatever the reason, it's clear we need a fresh reminder of their value.

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Why are museums and libraries so important?

1. They provide knowledge

For many, learning is a lifelong passion. Museums and libraries are spaces where people can learn about whatever they like, whenever they like.

Find yourself suddenly curious about how rocket ships are built? Go to the library and take out a book on space technology. Want to see what a dinosaur skeleton looks like? Jump on the train to the Natural History Museum and check one out.

While it's of course possible—and likely more convenient—to seek whatever information you need on the internet, there's something undeniably thrilling about going on a journey to acquire the knowledge that you're after.

2. Free entertainment

Our capitalist society means that free public places are dwindling at an alarming rate. It's important to appreciate museums and libraries for what they are: free, accessible places where people can connect, discover and learn. Museums and libraries often act as community hubs where people can engage in activities ranging from book clubs to first dates. They are some of the few spaces with something to offer for everyone, from young children to elderly pensioners.

3. Act as archives

Information is precious. While it's becoming increasingly common to rely on the internet to store it for us, technology is fallible. Worryingly, hacks are becoming increasingly common.

Only last year, the British Library experienced a cyberattack where a large amount of their data was stolen and released online. The library is still recovering from the attack and has not yet restored all its services.

Libraries and museums act as physical archives where we can preserve tangible items and knowledge. For example, London's Science Museum displays astronaut Helen Sharman's space suit from her 1991 expedition, while the British Library stores the largest surviving collection of medieval writer Chaucer's manuscripts.

4. Boosts Tourism

A 2023 survey of Britain's most visited sites revealed that five out of ten were museums. Trinity College's the Old Library is one of Ireland's most popular tourist venues, while in 2023, the New York Public Library system had over 2.5 million visitors to its branches in Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island.

The popularity of such institutions has a trickle-down effect, benefiting other local amenities like restaurants and cafes. Museums and libraries are therefore great not only for residents's enjoyment but also for their town's economy.

5. Gives cities personality and culture

Museums and libraries can grant otherwise mundane places a unique and quirky flair. There are dozens of interesting (bordering on bizarre) museums across the globe. These include the National Mustard Museum in Wisconsin, the Cockroach Hall of Fame Museum in Texas and the Dog Collar Museum in Broomfield, England.

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Now that you know how important museums and libraries are, here's how you can support them:

• Volunteer—the existence of museums and libraries relies on volunteers. Without them, these spaces risk closure. Volunteering can be a rewarding and educative experience, where you can meet like-minded individuals who are just as passionate about these cultural institutions as you are.
• Campaign—show that your local museums and libraries matter to you by campaigning against their closure. You can engage in acts like signing petitions or even protesting outside your threatened library or museum.
• Visit—most simply and importantly of all, you can show support for cultural institutions by visiting them. Just going to museums and and libraries with your family and friends proves that people are still interested and care about these institutions.

Historian Vartan Gregorian observed that “libraries and museums are the DNA of our culture.” In our present day, with its growing number of library and museum closures, it has never been more critical to remember this. We must preserve and protect our cultural institutions while we have them. Helping to run and engage with libraries and museums helps transform towns into communities, and enriches both people and places.