MIAMI, FL.- Miami Art Museum announced today that it has taken steps to address the challenges of the current economic crisis while maintaining a full range of exhibitions and educational programming. The museum is continuing to plan for the long term and remains on track with its plans for a new home designed by Herzog & de Meuron, scheduled for completion in 2012 in downtown Miami’s Museum Park.

MAM’s cost-cutting measures will ensure its ability to maintain the exceptional range of lectures, tours, and other educational programs it offers to audiences throughout Miami Dade County. The museum’s educational programs engage more than 16,000 children and adults annually and, in response to the economic pressures felt by the communities it serves, MAM has recently waived all fees for school group tours and teacher workshops, and is continuing to provide free transportation to teachers organizing field trips to the museum.

“Like every museum in the country, we are facing financial challenges,” said Museum Director Terence Riley. “We continue to see strong results from our fundraising efforts, yet we must remain financially conservative and prudent. To this end, we have reduced our operating budget by around 10% without diminishing the key programs which serve our community.”

MAM’s cost-cutting strategies include a reduction of its professional staff to 32 from 35, as well as departmental budget cuts and a selective hiring and salary freeze. A mandatory one-week furlough has also been instituted for all full-time staff, and senior management have agreed to a 5% reduction in salary.

The museum has also reduced the number of temporary exhibitions it has planned, focusing instead on presentations of the museum’s permanent collection in order to reduce exhibition-related expenditures. Measures have also been taken to reduce the cost of storing its permanent collection.

“MAM’s expansion continues to move forward as planned, and we remain on track to break ground later this year on our new home in Museum Park,” continued Riley. “This new building is an investment in Miami’s civic infrastructure, and will serve as an economic and educational stimulus for decades to come. “

MAM is proceeding with the pre-construction phase of the new building while, at the same time, identifying additional cost-saving measures as it navigates current economic challenges. “We are fortunate to have strong annual financial support from our local governments in addition to the $100 million bond for the building from Miami-Dade County and the waterfront site on Biscayne Bay given by the City of Miami,” stated Riley. “Combining public and private sources, we’re now equipped to fully fund construction of the new building, which is scheduled for completion in 2012.” Currently, MAM remains in the quiet phase of its capital campaign, with a total fundraising goal of $220 million.