Today on May 18th, we recognize International Museum Day. For me, this is not just a moment to celebrate culture, it is a reminder of the role museums play in driving economic growth, strengthening communities, and shaping the future of Illinois.As Chair of the Illinois House

Museums, Arts, Culture, and Entertainment Committee, I have spent time listening to museum leaders, educators, artists, tourism officials, and community organizations across our state. One message has come through clearly: museums are not simply cultural institutions. They are economic infrastructure.

Across Illinois, museums are powering local economies in ways that are often overlooked. They support construction and skilled trades jobs, drive tourism, increase foot traffic for small businesses, and activate commercial corridors. They bring people into our communities and generate economic activity that extends far beyond their walls.

The numbers reinforce what many communities already know. In Chicago alone, nonprofit arts and cultural organizations generate more than $3.2 billion in economic activity each year, support over 85,000 jobs, and produce more than $336 million in state and local tax revenue. Statewide, Illinois welcomed nearly 113 million visitors in 2024, generating approximately $48.5 billion in spending and supporting more than 454,000 jobs. Cultural institutions including our museums are central to that success.

But if we are serious about long-term competitiveness, we cannot view these outcomes as guaranteed.

Museums across Illinois are facing real challenges: aging facilities, deferred maintenance, rising operational costs, and uncertainty in federal funding. At the same time, we are asking these institutions to do more—expand access, serve broader communities, and continue driving economic activity. That is not sustainable, and it is not a strategy for growth.

If we want Illinois to remain competitive, we need to be intentional about how we invest.

That is why I introduced HB 4593, which provides a $5 million capital investment in the Illinois Museum Capital Grants Program. This legislation is focused on modernizing infrastructure, addressing critical maintenance needs, and ensuring museums across the state have the resources they need to continue serving their communities and driving economic activity.

This investment is about more than buildings. It is about putting people to work, supporting electricians, engineers, construction workers, and local contractors in communities across Illinois. It is about strengthening tourism economies, supporting small businesses, and ensuring that institutions that already generate billions in economic activity can continue to grow.

Strategic investment in museum infrastructure is not a luxury, it is a proven economic development strategy. It creates jobs in the short term and drives long-term growth by attracting visitors, supporting local economies, and reinforcing Illinois’ position as a national and global cultural destination.

Museums also play a critical role in workforce development and education. They expand learning beyond the classroom and introduce young people to careers in science, technology, conservation, history, and the arts. They help build the creative and knowledge-based economy Illinois will depend on in the years ahead.

At the same time, we must ensure these investments are inclusive. Every community in Illinois deserves access to strong cultural institutions that reflect its history and identity. When we invest in museums, we are investing in the full story of Illinois—and ensuring that more people see themselves reflected in it.

International Museum Day should not only be a moment of recognition. It should be a call to action.

The question before us is not whether museums matter. The question is whether we are willing to treat them as the economic and community assets they already are.

Illinois has an opportunity to lead by investing in the institutions that drive tourism, support jobs, expand education, and strengthen communities across our state. Through HB 4593, we can take a meaningful step forward that reflects our values and positions Illinois for long-term growth.

Museums do not just preserve our past. They are helping build Illinois’ future and writing the next chapter of our story.

Illinois State Representative Kimberly Du Buclet is a full-time legislator representing Chicago’s South Side. A former Vice President of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, she serves on multiple Illinois state committees and commissions focused on environmental justice, economic security, equity and inclusion, and the protection of vulnerable populations. In the General Assembly, Rep. du Buclet is committed to expanding democratic participation, advancing environmental justice, and strengthening opportunity for Illinois families.