The American Alliance of Museums looks forward to working with the newly elected Congress to increase federal funding for museums and advance policies that strengthen their ability to serve their communities. We welcome the opportunity to build relationships with new members and continue working with returning lawmakers across party lines to make museums a national priority.

Investing in museums means investing in strong communities and vibrant local economies. Museums support jobs and local businesses, attract tourism, preserve our shared history, provide educational opportunities for people of all ages, serve as community infrastructure, and so much more.

As Congress shapes its agenda, AAM will make the case for federal investment that reflects the breadth of museums’ contributions and the needs of the communities they serve. We will advocate for:

• Increased funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services;
• Funding for the range of federal agencies and programs that support museums, such as the NEA, NEH, NSF, and others, in partnership with our allies across the arts and cultural sector; and
• Policies that help museums sustain their operations, support their workforces, and expand public access, including eliminating the current House Appropriations ban on earmark funding for museums.

Museum advocates across the country have built lasting bipartisan support for our field. We look forward to building on that foundation by growing the Congressional Museum Caucus and working with new and returning members to turn support for museums into meaningful action. Together, we can ensure that lawmakers understand what museums make possible in their districts and champion the investments and policies that help them thrive.

What you can do now:

If you do not currently receive Alliance Advocacy Alerts, sign up for them.

Share Your Connections with your new or returning members of Congress with AAM’s government relations and advocacy team. 

Introduce yourselves to your newly elected representatives and invite them to experience your museums.

Join us in making the case for our field: registration is now open for Museums Advocacy Day February 22-23, 2027.

Debrief the election results with AAM’s government relations and advocacy team during our webinar on December 2.

Get familiar with the facts. Museums are economic engines, community pillars, core education partners, and highly supported by the American public across party lines.

Donate to support our collective advocacy work.