Digital Resilience and Communication Strategies in Underfunded Museums in Argentina and Spain (2020–2024)

Between 2020 and 2024, museums underwent accelerated digital transformation driven by the global health crisis and technological advances, exposing deep inequalities in access to technology and communication capabilities. Museums with limited resources had to rethink their digital strategies to sustain audience engagement and cultural relevance. This article presents a comparative study of museums in Argentina and Spain with restricted budgets, analyzing how they responded to challenges of uncertainty and scarcity. Using a mixed methodology—surveys of 22 professionals, interviews with directors of four representative museums, and qualitative case studies—this study examines the implemented solutions and their impacts. The findings highlight innovative practices grounded in creativity, strategic alliances, and intensive use of social media. Argentine museums excelled in tactical adaptation amid economic instability, while Spanish institutions showed stronger strategic planning. Private museums proved more flexible than their public counterparts, which faced greater bureaucratic constraints. This work contributes to debates on institutional resilience and offers a framework for sustainable digital communication in resource-limited contexts.