Each of those museums will receive certification awards next week for meeting the state s performance goals for museums. Some forty museums will have displays and exhibits at the Capitol that day. The performance goals are aimed at helping raise the professional level of Utah museums even more, said Dan Burke, director, Office of Museum Services in the Utah Division of Community Development. The goals help museum operators evaluate their facilities technical and financial operations to see where improvements can be made to provide the most educational and rewarding experience for visitors.
Museums are important to the state s tourism and local economies, particularly in rural areas.
Museums draw more than 4 million visitors annually, many being tourists traveling to Utah, said Burke. Also included in museum visitor statistics are some half-million students for whom museums provide an educational experience that can only stimulate and enhance what is learned in the classroom. The Office of Museum Services works with museums to promote them as sources of community pride, centers of public education, and institutions which encourage economic development and tourism.