Why museums matter: The creative industries’ untapped resource 4 Jun 2025

NMDC, AIM and Art Fund have commissioned new research on the key role that museums play in the UK's creative industries, arguing that museums should be recognised as vital long-term collaborators in innovation, skills development and industrial strategy. Museums and galleries provide inspiration, education, collections, locations and more to the people, organisations and projects in fast-growing sectors such as high-end TV, film, design, gaming, fashion and publishing – yet they remain underrepresented in economic policy and are often absent from creative industry strategies.  

The research report by City Global Futures highlights four cross-cutting themes which illustrate the range of museums’ contributions including innovation, R&D, and digital production; skills and talent development; placemaking and reimagining; and creative and regenerative ecosystems. It identifies five strategic priorities to better understand and promote the role of museums in delivering growth as a foundational sector for the creative industries: 

• Develop robust, shared metrics; 
• Ensure museums are represented in national economic and creative policy discussions;
• Invest in digital infrastructure and capacity;
• Build long-term partnerships with creative industries, universities, and local government;
• Leverage soft power and international influence. 

 The research has also informed three key advocacy messages: 

• Museums play a major role in the creative industries through innovation, skills, placemaking, creative ecosystems and global pull: we can describe and evidence their contributions and impact although we can’t yet quantify it economically.
• Museums should be represented and included in national economic and creative policy discussions and part of long-term national and local partnerships around the creative industries.  
• Museums have significant potential in the innovation economy but require investment in digital infrastructure and capacity.   

 A one-page summary of the phase one report can be read here: Museums, Growth and the Creative Industries. It will be used as the basis for a potential further piece of work developing an economic methodology quantifying the contributions of museums, helping make the case for the return on investment from museums within the UK’s globally leading creative industries. Art Fund, AIM