Who: Museums and elected officials around the country!

What: Annual Invite Congress to Visit Your Museum week.

When: August 12-16, or whenever your elected officials and staff can make it.

Where: Your museum!

Why: So elected officials can see first-hand what museums are and what museums do in their communities.

As we head into August 2019, I’m hopeful that the phrase “Invite Congress to Visit Your Museum” isn’t brand new to you and your museum. Coming up on its eighth year, #InviteCongress is an annual effort to encourage museums around the country to engage with local, state, and federal elected officials and stakeholders by inviting them into the museum. There are some museums who have done this every year since 2012 and can attest to the impact each visit has on the legislators and staff who visit (we’re looking at you Massillon Museum and Washington County Museum of Fine Arts!). Other museums may be newer to these types of advocacy activities and wondering how to jump in. The good news is that #InviteCongress is a perfect, and important, activity for museums of every type and size, with any and every level of previous advocacy experience, from any part of the country. Every museum has a powerful story to tell, and elected officials want to hear them.

I could go on about how fun and empowering it is to host these visits or expand upon each step of our step-by-step “How To” Guide. But we all know a picture paints a thousand words. So in that vein, don’t just take my word for it. Here’s what it looks like when museums and legislators get together for “Invite Congress to Visit Your Museum.” I hope you will check out the “How To” Guide and plan to participate this year.

I’m here to answer any and all questions. We can’t wait to see photos and updates from your visits.

And many thanks to @OhioMuseums, @mpma1, @AASLH, @calmuseums and @MichiganMuseums for helping to spread the word!

Rep. Barbara Lee takes in a hip-hop exhibition at Oakland Museum of California:

Thanks @RepBarbaraLee for swinging by to see #RespectStyleWisdom today! pic.twitter.com/UaqKAHIAQV

— Oakland Museum of California (@oaklandmuseumca) August 3, 2018

Senator Jack Reed and Rep. David Cicilline make time to experience the Tennis Hall of Fame Museum & Grounds:

Many thanks to @SenJackReed for making time to experience Tennis Hall of Fame museum & grounds today! @AAMers #invitecongress #museumsmatter pic.twitter.com/wIPziQwAqg

— Tennis Hall of Fame (@TennisHalloFame) September 18, 2017

Happy to have @davidcicilline here with us this afternoon for a museum tour! #InviteCongress #MuseumsAdvocacy @AAMers pic.twitter.com/q7VDv15oyi

— Tennis Hall of Fame (@TennisHalloFame) August 16, 2017

@BAMPFA welcomes congressional staff from several #BayArea legislators’ offices:

Proud to host #BayArea Congressional staffers @BAMPFA! @KamalaHarris @SenFeinstein @RepBarbaraLee @RepRoKhanna @RepSwalwell #InviteCongress pic.twitter.com/BQIFQOUwub

— BAMPFA (@BAMPFA) August 17, 2017

@Cheekwood hosts field representatives of @senAlexander & @repdianeblack:

We enjoyed having @senAlexander & @repdianeblack field representatives visit today as part of #InviteCongress. @AAMers pic.twitter.com/c4i3jwcb21

— Cheekwood (@Cheekwood) August 18, 2017

@MOSTHistory enjoys a visit from @RepGonzalez:

MOSTHistory invited @RepGonzalez and other elected officials to visit the museum. We appreciate their support! #InviteCongress @AAMers pic.twitter.com/IeHhKWFWCT

— MOSTHistory (@MOSTHistory) August 16, 2017

@IdahoBotanicalG gives tours to @Raul_Labrador’s Regional Director and @SenatorRisch’s staff:

We gave @Raul_Labrador‘s Regional Director a tour of @IdahoBotanicalG! Thank you for visiting the #LivingMuseum! #InviteCongress pic.twitter.com/rfXfGrRRQo

— IdahoBotanicalGarden (@IdahoBotanicalG) August 18, 2017

Thanks to @SenatorRisch‘s staff for visiting @IdahoBotanicalG as part of Museum Week. We hope you enjoyed the #LivingMuseum #InviteCongress pic.twitter.com/xYtz4Rjw7Y

— IdahoBotanicalGarden (@IdahoBotanicalG) September 15, 2017

@ErieArtMuseum welcomes the staff of @MikeKellyPA & @SenToomey:

Thank you to the staff of @MikeKellyPA & @SenToomey for visiting the EAM. Federal support for the arts is important to Erie! #invitecongress pic.twitter.com/bQmjgMl5yQ

— Erie Art Museum (@ErieArtMuseum) August 17, 2017

The Saugatuck-Douglas History Center welcomes @RepFredUpton and @MichiganMuseums shares the story:

Thanks Saugatuck-Douglas History Center for sharing your advocacy story! https://t.co/hSH7LF58n9 @RepFredUpton #InviteCongress #MImuseums pic.twitter.com/GLk0ejXJPj

— MichiganMuseumsAssn (@MichiganMuseums) October 4, 2017