The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston has laid off 57 employees, with an additional 56 staff members taking voluntary retirement. The cuts are a direct response to the severe financial impact of the museum's extended closure due to the public health crisis, which has led to massive losses in revenue from admissions, events, and retail.
The layoffs highlight the ongoing financial crisis facing museums across the United States, with many institutions resorting to similar workforce reductions to ensure survival. The MFA's situation is part of a broader trend, with a recent survey suggesting one in three American museums is at risk of permanent closure, underscoring the profound and lasting damage the pandemic is inflicting on cultural infrastructure.