Title 20EducationRelease 119-73

§9171 Purpose

Title 20 › Chapter CHAPTER 72— - MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - MUSEUM SERVICES › § 9171

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Helps museums teach and serve the public by working with schools, families, and communities. It backs museums in sharing art, history, nature, and science and in using new ideas and technology through local, State, regional, national, and international partnerships. It helps museums care for and protect their collections to high standards for future generations, improve management and relieve financial strain, and share resources with libraries, schools, and other community groups. It also supports museums as part of community economic growth and civic life, and makes sure museums of all sizes and places can give high-quality services to everyone in the United States.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §9171

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

It is the purpose of this subchapter—
(1)to encourage and support museums in carrying out their educational role, as core providers of learning and in conjunction with schools, families, and communities;
(2)to encourage and support museums in carrying out their public service role of connecting the whole of society to the cultural, artistic, historical, natural, and scientific understandings that constitute our diverse heritage;
(3)to encourage leadership, innovation, and applications of the most current technologies and practices to enhance museum services through international, national, regional, State, and local networks and partnerships;
(4)to assist, encourage, and support museums in carrying out their stewardship responsibilities to achieve the highest standards in conservation and care of the diverse cultural, historic, natural, and scientific heritage of the United States to benefit future generations;
(5)to assist, encourage, and support museums in achieving the highest standards of management and service to the public, and to ease the financial burden borne by museums as they serve their communities in new and different ways;
(6)to support resource sharing and partnerships among museums, libraries, schools, and other community organizations;
(7)to encourage and support museums as a part of economic development and revitalization in communities;
(8)to ensure museums of various types and sizes in diverse geographic regions of the United States are afforded attention and support;
(9)to support efforts at the State and regional levels to leverage museum resources and maximize museum services; and
(10)to assist museums in their civic engagement efforts to ensure that every person in the United States has access to high-quality museum services.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 272 of Pub. L. 94–462 was renumbered section 273 and is classified to section 9172 of this title.

Amendments

2018—Par. (1). Pub. L. 115–410, § 16(1), (2), redesignated par. (2) as (1) and struck out former par. (1) which read as follows: “to encourage and support museums in carrying out their public service role of connecting the whole of society to the cultural, artistic, historical, natural, and scientific understandings that constitute our heritage;”. Par. (2). Pub. L. 115–410, § 16(3), added par. (2). Former par. (2) redesignated (1). Par. (4). Pub. L. 115–410, § 16(4), inserted “diverse” before “cultural”. Par. (5). Pub. L. 115–410, § 16(5), substituted “as they serve their communities in new and different ways” for “as a result of their increasing use by the public”. Par. (9). Pub. L. 115–410, § 16(7), substituted “State and regional levels” for “State level” and “services; and” for “services.” Par. (10). Pub. L. 115–410, § 16(6), (8), added par. (10). 2010—Par. (3). Pub. L. 111–340, § 301(1), inserted “through international, national, regional, State, and local networks and partnerships” after “services”. Pars. (7) to (9). Pub. L. 111–340, § 301(2)–(4), added pars. (7) to (9). 2003—Pub. L. 108–81, § 301, amended section catchline and text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “It is the purpose of this subchapter— “(1) to encourage and assist museums in their educational role, in conjunction with formal systems of elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education and with programs of nonformal education for all age groups; “(2) to assist museums in modernizing their methods and facilities so that the museums are better able to conserve the cultural, historic, and scientific heritage of the United States; and “(3) to ease the financial burden borne by museums as a result of their increasing use by the public.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 9171

Title 20Education

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73