A global boom in museums is under way

MUSEUMS are enjoying a new golden age. There are at least 55,000 museums across the world, more than double the number 20 years ago. And new ones are being built every day, especially in China, where more than 450 were opened last year. On top of that, people are visiting in record numbers in America, Brazil, Britain, Scandinavia and Asia. In the rich world, demand is driven by a bigger, educated middle class; by city fathers who want to attract tourists; by planners who regard museums as an antidote to urban blight; and by rich philanthropists. In the newly-rich developing world, museums are seen as symbols of cultural sophistication, sources of public education and as places where a young country can present a national narrative. In cities as far flung as Buenos Aires, Mecca and Shanghai, museums will be at the centre of nearly two-dozen new cultural zones due to be built in the next ten years, at a cost of over $250 billion. Read our special report on museums here.