Latest Updates

The Art Museum Unions Index was updated in 2026 to include:

1. Key updates to the data since the original publication of the Index in April 2024.
2. A new spotlight on public and university art museum unions. These unions are also typically older and more established than most private sector unions, and are therefore less likely to have clear and accessible histories. We are aware there are gaps in this data and welcome information, sources, and tips, submitted via the COMMENT button.

This Index is primarily a tool for understanding the scale and scope of the art museum union movement through publicly available data. Below, you will find additional resources and research on MMF’s website to add to the collective conversation about the role and impact of unions in the art museum sector:

1. Information from different collective bargaining agreements displayed in legible and accessible ways. This data has been collaboratively sourced via the MMF: Study Group on Museum Union Contracts & Equity zine and emphasizes ways in which museum unions can continue to advance equity within and across institutions. We look forward to comparing gains over time, as unions build on the foundations of a first contract and learn about what can be achieved from one another.
2. MMF’s 2025 Report on Workplace Equity and Organizational Culture in US Art Museums.
3. MMF’s Timeline and Bibliography can be sorted by tag. Selecting the “union” tag on each resource allows you to view key reporting on recent art museum unionization efforts since 2015.

What are you curious about? How would you like to see this project used? Reach out via the COMMENT button or email liz@museumsmovingforward.com to share your feedback and ideas.