IMLS Museum Data Files

Principal Investigator(s):  View help for Principal Investigator(s) Institute of Museum and Library Services

Version:  View help for Version V2

Name File Type Size Last Modified
2018_csv_museum_data_files.zip application/zip 2.7 MB 02/12/2025 10:09:AM
IMLS_MDF_WEBPAGE-2025-02-05.html text/html 56.7 KB 02/05/2025 09:43:AM
museum_data_file_documentation_and_users_guide.pdf application/pdf 591.2 KB 02/05/2025 09:43:AM

Project Citation: 

Institute of Museum and Library Services. IMLS Museum Data Files. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2026-04-18. https://doi.org/10.3886/E219155V2

Project Description

Project Title:  View help for Project Title IMLS Museum Data Files
Summary:  View help for Summary The Museum Data Files (MDF) were published by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in 2018, to provide information about museums and related organizations in the United States. The data was collated and processed from several administrative sources, including: IMLS administrative data and records, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) nonprofit data (e.g., 990, 990-EZ, 990-N), lists of grantees from private foundations, museum associations, and data obtained from third party commercial vendors. The data covers the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Data includes information about museum location (including latitude and longitude coordinates), museum discipline, North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities codes, DUNS, EIN, Regional classifications (American Alliance of Museums and the Bureau of Economic Analysis categorization schemes) and IRS 990 revenue information. The data is published in a CSV format, in files that have been segmented by museum discipline. Documentation and codebooks are provided in PDF format.

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Microdata: Yes
Level of Analysis: Individuals - Museums
Variables Present: Yes
File Layout: .csv
Codebook: No, but there is a definitions document
Methods: Yes
Weights (with appropriate documentation): No
Publications: No
Aggregate Data: No
Original Distribution URL:  View help for Original Distribution URL https://www.imls.gov/research-evaluation/data/museum-data-files

Scope of Project

Subject Terms:  View help for Subject Terms museums; historical societies; zoos; planetariums; botanical gardens; aquariums
Geographic Coverage:  View help for Geographic Coverage United States
Time Period(s):  View help for Time Period(s) 2018 – 2018
Universe:  View help for Universe Museums and related organizations
Data Type(s):  View help for Data Type(s) administrative records data; geographic information system (GIS) data


Related Publications

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Published Versions

V2 [2026-04-18]

V1 [2025-02-12]

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Dublin Core

DDI 2.5

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This material is distributed exactly as received from the data depositor. ICPSR has not reviewed, checked, or processed this material. For additional information about the study, please contact the investigator(s) directly. If you have questions about the accessibility of materials distributed by ICPSR or require further assistance, please visit ICPSR's Accessibility Center.