Because of our origin as voluntary associations, for the most part we are privately supported. In many cases this results in museums working with very limited resources. The fact that much of the public believe that museums are owned and staffed by rich dilettantes results from the fact that, for aesthetic reasons, we create attractive and rich-looking facilities, that house valuable and interesting objects. It all looks like money, serious money. For this reason discussions of our ability to provide various services based on cost is met with much skepticism.
Most museums have success in developing funds for facility creation.
We have less success in developing money to operate these facilities. Few museums are supported by just one or two of these categories. A museum that pays well, is paying staff at the same levels as public school teachers are paid. Most pay their staff well below this level. This is not a complaint, it is an observation.