20 U.S.C. § 9171: Purpose

to encourage and support museums in carrying out their educational role, as core providers of learning and in conjunction with schools, families, and communities; 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; 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; 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; 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; to support resource sharing and partnerships among museums, libraries, schools, and other community organizations; to encourage and support museums as a part of economic development and revitalization in communities; to ensure museums of various types and sizes in diverse geographic regions of the United States are afforded attention and support; to support efforts at the State and regional levels to leverage museum resources and maximize museum services; and to assist museums in their civic engagement efforts to ensure that every person in the United States has access to high-quality museum services.