Museums play a very instrumental role in preserving art and culture. However, museum operations come at a cost. Because many museums in the United States are non-profit, these repositories of innovation, art, and culture often need a significant amount of funding to preserve artifacts, employ staff, and maintain buildings.

There are multiple sources of museum revenue, and some of them are endowment income, earned income, and government support. The major source of endowment income is donations made by wealthy Americans. These wealthy individuals are usually patrons of museums, and they fund museum endowments.

Earned revenue refers to the revenue that museums make from people who visit. This revenue typically involves admission and exhibition fees and also money made from gift shops. Although most museums in the United States are privately run, the government often provides a form of aid. The bulk of government funding for museums comes from agencies at the state and local levels, with the federal government contributing a minute percentage.