Museum Professional Networks Connecting and Collaborating during COVID-19
Support Free COVID-19 Resources for the Field:
These resources have been taken out from behind the member paywall to make them free and accessible for all. The current crisis is taking a distressing financial toll on cultural organizations, and AAM is no different. In these challenging times, we ask that if you can, consider supporting our advocacy work and making extensive COVID-19 resources freely available for our field, by making a donation or becoming a member of AAM. Thank you for your much-needed support.
As all of us continue to grapple with the changing landscape during the current pandemic, the Professional Network Council of the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) remains focused on helping members of the museum community. Specifically, in a time when so many of us are struggling, we seek to provide connections with people and resources that can support all of us now and as we move through this period of unimaginable transition.
Upcoming programs hosted by individual Professional Networks (PN’s) and messages are shared weekly here. Check often for updates.
For those who are able to participate in virtual events, we look forward to connecting with you. For everyone, please do not hesitate to reach out to members of any of the Professional Networks. We are here for you.
Stay safe!
Members of the Professional Network Council
Joining Professional Networks, a benefit of AAM Individual Professional Membership is a great way for museum professionals to connect with each other, learn about topics of interest within the museum field, and help the wider field advance through the programming and content of the networks. Learn how to join a Professional Network today.
Table of Contents
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Professional Network Upcoming Programs
IMP Network || Talk: What’s Next?
Tuesday, August 25, 12:00-1:00 PM (EDT)
By popular demand: #AAMvirtual IMP Network The Independent Museum Professionals Network proudly sponsored this session at #AAMvirtual and is offering them again this summer! Connect with fellow independent museum professionals to discuss questions concerning the changing professional landscape resulting from the current public health crisis. How are you adapting your skills, learning new ones, and growing your business? You’ll have the opportunity to share, learn, and connect with other participants as we break out into smaller groups, which will rotate several times throughout the session. Both experienced and recent IMPs are encouraged to attend. The program will provide opportunities to network with fellow participants, including a 15-minute open chat time at the end.
Weekly Professional Network News and Updates
EdCom: Education Professional Network
EdCom’s Museum Distance Learning Repository
Have you seen the new ‘Repository of Distance Learning’? One of EdCom’s recent projects, it is where you can find programs and resources from museums across the country in a searchable database. With children and learners everywhere out of school for the foreseeable future, museums across the continent have come together to share their distance learning with you.
Explore this resource and submit additions too.
Independent Museum Professionals Network
IMPN currently is recruiting steering committee members. Interested in helping to lead this dynamic group of independent museum professionals? Please complete our candidate form here.
LGBTQ+ Alliance
Join us every Thursday, at 3pm EST, for our Queer Coffee Break Series, where we explore local and international LGBTQIA+ history through bite-sized videos—perfect for your afternoon coffee or tea break! Videos are posted weekly on our Facebook page.
If you are interested in contributing for this or other series, please contact us at lgbtq@aam-us.org!
TEN: Traveling Exhibitions Network
Join a Traveling Exhibitions Network Working Group! We are seeking volunteers to join one of three working groups tasked with tackling specific subsets of our industry. These working groups will collaborate with one another to determine best practices, develop industry materials, and conceptualize how we move forward. Sign up here. The three working groups are:
- The Value of Traveling Exhibitions Working Group
- Traveling Exhibition Interactives Working Group
- Traveling Exhibition Logistics Working Group
AAM (American Alliance of Museums) Calendar of Events
AAM Blog: Museums and Equity in Times of Crisis
AASLH (American Association for State and Local History) Resources
ASTC (Association of Science and Technology Centers) Resources
Collections Stewardship
VSA (Visitor Studies Association) COVID-19 Programs & Resources
- Coronavirus Support Group Chats: Fridays, 2-2:30 pm ET. These free chats allow for informal discussion on a range of topics. Now open to everyone. All resources shared through these discussions are also saved here.
- Coronavirus Support for Out-of-Work Evaluators: Wednesday, April 15, 4:00 pm ET. The Professional Development Working Group is hosting a special web convening to support visitor studies professionals currently out of work due to COVID-19. Open to VSA members and non-members.
- Visitor Studies Journal and Web Chats Archive: VSA members have complimentary access to the journal archives through Taylor & Francis as well as our past web chat recordings, including those on useful evaluation tools, culturally responsive evaluation practices, and more.
Professional Networks
- Committee on Audience Research and Evaluation (CARE)
- Collections Stewardship
- Curators Committee (CurCom)
- Development and Membership (DAM)
- Diversity Committee (DivCom)
- Education Committee (EdCom)
- Environment and Climate Network
- Historic Houses and Sites Network
- Independent Museum Professionals Network
- Indigenous Peoples Museum Network
- Latino Network
- Leadership and Management
- LGBTQ+ Alliance
- Media & Technology
- Museum Studies Network
- National Association for Museum Exhibitions (NAME)
- Public Relations and Marketing Network (PRAM)
- Security Network
- Small Museum Administrators Committee (SMAC)
- Traveling Exhibitions Network