Standards

Speaking the Audience’s Language: A Q&A with James Heaton

At some point in the pandemic, I was working on a project, and I needed a museum-based definition of a term relating to audience development and museum work. I started by flipping through a …

The Shifting Sands of Excellence: A Q&A with Accreditation Leaders

Joseph O'Neill

One of AAM’s closest-watched programs is Accreditation, the flagship program on a continuum that measures and confers excellence, giving museums an external seal of credibility which …

A Modest Proposal for Museum Collections: Apply the principle of direct costs for deaccessioning

John Wetenhall

Some years ago, shortly before I assumed the directorship of the Ringling Museum of Art—the state art museum of Florida—the leader of the Florida Legislature declared, “I love Rubens.” The …

Closing the GAAP on Direct Care

Lori Breslauer and Sarah Ebel

As lawyers with backgrounds in horticulture (Lori) and material culture studies (Sarah), we never thought we would be passionate about an accounting rule. Yet here we are. In 2015 we wrote …

AAM Names Beaulieu and Richardson New Accreditation Commissioners

Joseph Klem

AAM has appointed Rebekah Beaulieu and Evans Richardson IV as new Accreditation Commissioners, with terms that begin January 1, 2019 and end Decembe…

Museums and their Observers Debate the Field’s Deaccessioning Ethics

Steve Dubb, Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly

August 1, 2018; Hyperallergic "Deaccessioning-the permanent removal of objects and/or art from a museum's collection-has been at the forefront of many discussions of museums of late," notes …

On the hard work of building the future

Elizabeth Merritt

Currently I’m watching the birth of two movements in our field. #MuseumsRespondtoFerguson and #MuseumWorkersSpeak are both grappling with issues of what museums can do, should do, and …

Prodding Sacred Cows: The Mission Statement

Elizabeth Merritt

When I was pulling together the book National Standards & Best Practices for U.S. Museums, I found myself increasingly uneasy with the way that the standards use mission statement as …

How a Cookbook Can Help Your Museum Engage with Food

Elizabeth Merritt

I hope you’re planning to join us for the free Feeding the Spirit webinar, Friday, Feb. 17, 1:45-5 p.m. (ET). To help you plan your discussions before, during or after the webcast (as well …

Forecasting the Future of History Organizations and Their Leaders

Elizabeth Merritt

For three weeks every November leaders and practitioners from the field of the public history meet at the Seminar for Historical Administration to discuss challenges and future directions …

The Backward ABC’s of Museum Data

Elizabeth Merritt

This week’s blog post comes from Philip M. Katz, assistant director for research at AAM. This was going to be an essay about the power of museum financial and operating data—robust, …

When Trends Collide: The New Gilded Age Meets the Rise of the Amateur Expert

Elizabeth Merritt

Museums have long struggled to resist pressure from wealthy donors or sponsors who want to call the shots. How might this play out in a future in which museums loosen their grip on …

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Latest Stories from AAM

Museum Philanthropy & Fundraising Tipsheet

American Alliance of Museums

Financial Sustainability

This tipsheet summarizes the transcript of a webinar presented by Charles Katzenmeyer, Eowyn Bates, Amy Burt, Shannon Joern, and Ginevra Ranney. It was developed with the help of ChatGPT. …

Striving for Excellence in Exhibition Label Writing

John Russick and Jojo Galvan Mora

Alliance Blog

In just a few months, a quarter of the twenty-first century will be behind us. Much has changed in museums over that time. Some of that change has been brought on by technology and new ways …

How Do You Know You’re Ready for a Campaign? Where Do You Start?

On-Demand Programs: Financial Sustainability

Whether constructing a new building, growing your endowment, or simply raising money for a program, campaigns are complex endeavors. Even the most organized campaigns can put staff, …

Speaking the Audience’s Language: A Q&A with James Heaton

The Shifting Sands of Excellence: A Q&A with Accreditation Leaders

A Modest Proposal for Museum Collections: Apply the principle of direct costs for deaccessioning

Closing the GAAP on Direct Care

AAM Names Beaulieu and Richardson New Accreditation Commissioners

Museums and their Observers Debate the Field’s Deaccessioning Ethics

On the hard work of building the future

Prodding Sacred Cows: The Mission Statement

How a Cookbook Can Help Your Museum Engage with Food

Forecasting the Future of History Organizations and Their Leaders

The Backward ABC’s of Museum Data

When Trends Collide: The New Gilded Age Meets the Rise of the Amateur Expert

Upcoming Events

Switching Planes: Harnessing Transferable Skills for Success

OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program

Regional Emergency Networks: VACDaRN’s Response to Vermont’s Severe Weather and Flooding

Safe Zone for the Museum Field

Latest Stories from AAM

Museum Philanthropy & Fundraising Tipsheet

Striving for Excellence in Exhibition Label Writing

How Do You Know You’re Ready for a Campaign? Where Do You Start?

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