Doomsayers won’t find an ally in Michael Conforti, president of the Association of Art Museum Directors, who argues “that this financially perilous period is ‘a great time for art museums.’ They are, he said, ‘bellwethers for people at moments like this. We saw this happen after 9/11. If we are doing our jobs well, we’re the places that people can turn to in times of instability.'”