Museums Advocacy Day

Digital Engagement Kit for Museums

Thank you for spreading the word about Museums Advocacy Day! Below is an introduction and tools for you to get started sharing information about participating in Museums Advocacy Day 2024 with your staff, volunteers, and audiences, and to encourage them to advocate from anywhere before, during, and after Museums Advocacy Day.

Additional materials will be added to this page as updated information becomes available. Be sure to check back here in January and February, and also ensure you’re opted-in to AAM emails to receive important Museums Advocacy Day updates (you must use the same email address you used for Museums Advocacy Day registration).

Welcome

Today’s national policy debates will impact our museums for years to come. Together, we’ve defeated several threats to eliminate federal agencies supporting museums and helped secure billions of dollars in federal relief funding for museums. Legislators do not know how their decisions affect museums if they don’t hear directly from you—the museums and people they represent.

Congress faces an enormous list of policy issues to consider, many of which can have a lasting effect on museums. Beyond federal funding for museums, there are also tax issues, education policy, and other issues that significantly impact our museum community. Museums Advocacy Day 2024 is your opportunity to keep up this momentum and impact our entire field, and the communities we serve, for years to come.

Below, you will find the resources needed to share information about participating in Museums Advocacy Day 2024 with your staff, volunteers, and audiences, and to encourage them to advocate from anywhere before, during, and after Museums Advocacy Day. If you have any questions about participating in Museums Advocacy Day or using the materials below, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at museumsadvocacyday [at] aam-us [dot] org.

Thank you,

Ember Farber        Barry Szczesny
Director, Advocacy        Director, Government Relations & Public Policy

 

Visit the main Museums Advocacy Day page for more information about Museums Advocacy Day.

Talking Points for the Media

Have an opportunity to talk to the media (local, regional, or national) about the importance of the museum field? Use these quick facts and talking points to communicate the positive impact museums have on the U.S. and the impacts the pandemic has had on them.

Graphics

Access this page for ready-made graphics you can use for Museums Advocacy Day, or for sharing advocacy materials at any time of year. Graphics are arranged by topic and sized for different platforms to meet your needs.

Advocating on Social Media During Museums Advocacy Day

Access this page for guidelines and tips on the logistics of interacting with your elected officials on social media, getting permission from legislators and their staff to share photos/screenshots, and making sure your social media posts are well-received and effective. Also see the Sample Social Media Copy following the Sample Press Release and Sample Op-Eds below.

Sample Press Release

If your museum will be represented by staff attending Museums Advocacy Day 2024, download this document for a sample press release: Word | PDF

Sample Economic Impact Op-Ed for Museums

To complete this op-ed, easily pull specific geographic data from AAM’s Museums as Economic Engines report.

Download this document for a template: Word | PDF

Sample Education Impact Op-Ed for Museums

To complete this op-ed, read more about completing your education impact statement.

Download this document for the op-ed template: Word | PDF

Sample Social Media Copy

Access this page for an extensive list of sample social media posts that can be used by anyone for Museums Advocacy Day 2024! The sample copy helps you share posts about how others can advocate from anywhere or specific tools from AAM that can help. Download these graphics to accompany your social media posts.

Additional ideas for museums are below.

Short-form sample posts appropriate for X (formerly Twitter) or your platform of choice:

  • [Name of museum] is proud to advocate for the cause of museums at #MuseumsAdvocacy2024. Speak up for museums Feb. 26-27 and be a part of our collective movement. bit.ly/AdvAnywhere
  • Now is the time to make the case and speak up for #museums! [Museum] joins hundreds of advocates across the country Feb. 26-27 for Museums Advocacy Day 2024. #MuseumsAdvocacy2024 bit.ly/AdvAnywhere

Long-form sample posts appropriate for Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or your platform of choice:

  • [Name of museum] is proud to advocate for the cause of museums during Museums Advocacy Day 2024. We’re asking for public support of museums now more than ever because [explain]. Join our collective movement by speaking up for museums February 26-27 from anywhere you are, and share or follow along on social media using #MuseumsAdvocacy and #MuseumsAdvocacy2024. Learn more how you can get involved: bit.ly/AdvAnywhere
  • Now is the time to make the case and speak up for museums! Our field has experienced the dire impacts of the pandemic and will need support to recover, even while we continue to serve our community.

    [Museum name] is joining hundreds of advocates in Washington, D.C. February 26-27 for Museums Advocacy Day 2024. Follow along at #MuseumsAdvocacy2024 and learn how you can advocate from anywhere you are: bit.ly/AdvAnywhere

Sample Email, Newsletter, or Website Copy

Short-format copy samples to engage the public in museums advocacy:

  • Speak up for museums! Send a message to urge your legislators to support museums.
    [Name of Museum] is proud to advocate for the cause of museums for Museums Advocacy Day 2024. Museums Advocacy Day is inspiring, energizing, and impactful, uniting museum colleagues across the country as one voice to reaffirm the value and collective contributions of museums. You can join us by sending a message to your legislators speaking up for support for museums—get started with these Advocate from Anywhere resources.
  • Will your voice be heard?
    In recent years, hundreds of advocates visited lawmakers in person, and thousands contacted them online, to assert the value of museums to American society. Entering an important election year, it’s more important than ever to make our voices heard, and to ensure that all museums are represented at Museums Advocacy Day 2024. You can advocate for museums in your community, and across the nation, from wherever you are. Learn how to advocate from anywhere.

Short-format copy samples to engage your staff or museum colleagues to register for Museums Advocacy Day:

  • Have your legislators heard about your museum lately?
    Museums Advocacy Day is inspiring, energizing, and impactful. Unite with museum colleagues from across the country as one voice to reaffirm our value, collective contributions, and aspirations. The resources and insights you’ll gain as a participant will help sustain your museum’s future and the future of the field. [Name of Museum] is proud to advocate for the cause of museums during Museums Advocacy Day 2024 February 26-27 in Washington, DC!

  • Museums have an ongoing fight ahead of us.
    Today’s national policy debates will impact our museums for years to come. Together as a field, we’ve defeated several threats to eliminate federal agencies supporting museums, but we must keep making our case to Congress. Legislators do not know how their decisions affect museums or how the pandemic has impacted the field if they don’t hear directly from you—the museums and people they represent. We’re excited to be in Washington, D.C. February 26-27 for Museums Advocacy Day 2024!

Long-format copy samples to engage the public in museums advocacy:

  • Legislators need to hear from you about your support of museums!
    Today’s national policy debates will impact our [community’s/state’s/city’s] museums for years to come. Museum advocates have defeated several threats to eliminate federal agencies and helped secure billions of dollars in federal relief funding for museums. We need to keep making our case to Congress, and you can join in our cause. Our legislators need to know the importance of museums in our education and our economy, the dire impacts the pandemic has had on the field, and how vital they are to the recovery of our community and our nation. Congress faces a vast list of policy issues to consider, many of which can have a lasting impact on museums. Legislators do not know how their decisions affect museums or how the pandemic has impacted the museum field if they don’t hear from constituents like you. Join in our collective cause to advocate for museums in our community, and across the nation, from wherever you are. Learn how to advocate from anywhere.

Long-format copy samples to engage your staff or museum colleagues to register for Museums Advocacy Day:

  • We must make the case for museums in 2024
    Museums Advocacy Day is inspiring, energizing, and impactful. With the museum field continuing to face the dire impacts of the pandemic, it’s more important than ever that all museums are represented at Museums Advocacy Day 2022. You can advocate for museums in your community, and across the nation, from wherever you are.

    While there have been some signs of recovery for museums, the crisis is not over for museums or for museum professionals. Addressing this situation requires decisive action from Congress beyond previous economic relief legislation. Normal revenue from admissions fees, retail sales, and event rentals have declined dramatically and we expect a slow recovery. Even as museums are experiencing closures and significant losses in revenue, they are meeting an increase in demand for their services and safeguarding and supporting their communities.

    Museums are contributing to the ongoing education of our country’s children by providing lesson plans, online learning opportunities, and drop-off learning kits to teachers and families. They are using their outdoor spaces to grow and donate produce to area food banks, as well as maintaining these spaces for individuals to safely relax, enjoy nature, and recover from the mental health impacts of social isolation. They served as vaccination centers and have donated their PPE and scientific equipment to fight COVID-19, and provided access to childcare and meals to families of health care workers and first responders. Join us in Washington, D.C. in February to ensure Congress knows that museums are critical community infrastructure.

    [Museum name] is proud to participate in Museums Advocacy Day 2024 in Washington, D.C. February 26-27. See Museums Advocacy Day success stories and join the conversation on social media using #MuseumsAdvocacy2024 to be a part of our collective movement!

  • Let’s amplify our voices during Museums Advocacy Day 2024
    Museums Advocacy Day is inspiring, energizing, and impactful. Unite with museum colleagues from across the country as one voice to reaffirm our value, collective contributions, and aspirations. The resources and insights you’ll gain as a participant will help sustain your museum’s future and the future of the field.

    Museums Advocacy Day is a unique opportunity to network with peers from your region, hear from federal agency and nonprofit leaders, and build your own professional skills. Get timely, insider information from policy leaders and the tools and information you need to be a successful advocate for museums from wherever you are. Whether you are a new or seasoned advocate, you will get all the preparation you need to effectively make the case for museums in 2024 federally, and with your state and local elected officials. If you choose to participate in Congressional meetings, you then get to put all your new skills to use on March 1 with your legislators!

    [Museum name]     is proud to participate in Museums Advocacy Day 2024 in Washington, D.C. February 26-27. See Museums Advocacy Day success stories and join the conversation on social media using #MuseumsAdvocacy2024 to be a part of our collective movement!

Web Links to Use

Use the below as a guide for not only resources that can be shared, but also short links to help with sharing on social media. Note that short bit.ly links are case-sensitive, and you must use them exactly as they appear below in social media posts and elsewhere.

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