VERO BEACH — The Vero Beach Museum of Art has earned a prestigious distinction as the nation’s best-attended small museum with a budget under $12 million, located outside major tourist hubs, according to a new report by Remuseum, an independent research initiative focused on innovation in U.S. art museums.
The Remuseum study, which analyzed 153 American art museums, ranked the Vero Beach Museum of Art first among its peers for attracting an impressive 45% of its regional population as visitors—far surpassing the national average of 17% for museums relative to their Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) population. This achievement places the museum 13th overall in the full dataset, highlighting its remarkable ability to maximize impact with limited resources.
“This recognition highlights the dedication of the Vero Beach Museum of Art’s Trustees, staff, and supporters to fostering innovation in art education, providing family and community access programs, and presenting world-class exhibitions,” said Brady Roberts, Executive Director. “Through intentional public engagement and service, we’ve continued to strengthen museum visitation year after year.”
Stephen Reily, Founding Director of Remuseum, said no smaller museum is doing this better, with with programming that clearly resonates with the community, adding, “Many museums that previously focused on their national or international reputation are realizing that their real impact lies in serving the people of their own communities. These museums measure success in the percentage of their local population they can attract as visitors, and among them, no smaller museum is doing better than the Vero Beach Museum of Art, which has developed a program that its community clearly finds both relevant and engaging.”
The Vero Beach Museum of Art is a leading visual arts institution, housing a significant permanent collection of American and international works from the mid-19th century to today. As the museum approaches its 40th anniversary in 2026, it is preparing to open a new facility in 2027, which will double its gallery space and enhance its innovative arts education and community access initiatives.
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