Museums of all kinds are critical educational, cultural, and scientific institutions in our society, but the value of our work is not always fully understood. The American Alliance of Museums helps museums tell the stories of their important activities and contributions and promotes a deeper understanding of museums with policymakers, the press, and the public.
Museums Advocacy Day 2024: February 26-27 in Washington, D.C.
At Museums Advocacy Day 2024 and throughout the year, you have the power to help create lasting change that can sustain museums and museum jobs into the future. Stakes will be high this coming election year and we must continue to share our data and stories if we are to secure continued and future support for museums from Congress.
Learn more about Museums Advocacy Day 2024.
Museums Advocacy Day 2024 Materials
Museums Advocacy Day 2024: Feb. 26-27 in Washington, D.C.
Alliance Advocacy for Museums
There’s never been a more critical time to advocate for museums and your role in the field. The Alliance has been working hard to advocate for the museum field and provide you the resources needed to let your legislators know the impact the pandemic has had on you and your museum, and how museums and museum professionals are continuing to serve their communities. During this time more than 65,000 messages have been sent to Congress over the Alliance’s online advocacy tools – messages that continue to be critical to securing important funding and resources for museums. Use the information and links below to learn more about the Alliance’s advocacy for museums and ways you can advocate today.
Alliance Advocacy Alerts
- September Advocacy Updates: Congress Returns and NVRD 2024
- August Appropriations Update: Keep Speaking Up for Museums
- Take Action Now! Urge Senators to Support Funding for IMLS
- Urgent – Oppose Drastic House Funding Cuts to IMLS
- Act Now to Speak Up for Museums!
- Act Now: Contact Senators to Support OMS Funding
- Speak Up for FY 2025 Funding for Museums
Additional Resources, Guides, and Data
- National Snapshot of COVID-19 Impact on United States Museums (fielded December 2021-January 2022)
- Download the AAM Nonprofit Voter Resources Guide
- Get the AAM Guide to Working with a New Congress
- Speaking Up: Museum Advocacy in Action Toolkit
- Updated Guide to Election Year Activities
- Invite Congress to Visit Your Museum
- Alliance Advocacy Resources
- Alliance Advocacy Alerts
More Ways to Speak up for Museums Now:
- Find your legislators & their social media information
- Learn more about Financial Relief and Resources
- Advocating for Museums During COVID-19
- Download your state’s economic impact
- Engage your board in advocacy
- Get Nonprofit Voter Resources
- Write a Letter to the Editor
- Advocate from Anywhere
Also Available:
- Alliance COVID-19 Resources and blog posts
- TrendsWatch: Building Resilience in a Time of Crisis
- Speaking Up: Museum Advocacy in Action Toolkit
- COVID-19 & IMLS Funding
Ways to Advocate Today
Alliance Advocacy Alerts
- Your voice matters. Members of Congress carefully consider input from their constituents when making policy decisions and casting votes. See recent calls-to-action and stay up-to-date on opportunities to weigh-in with your federal legislators. Sign up for Alliance Advocacy Alerts.
Policy Issues
- The Alliance closely monitors a variety of legislative and policy issues that affect museums. See our Issue Briefs, testimony and related materials on key issues affecting museums, including funding for grantmaking federal agencies, tax incentives for charitable giving and education policy.
Introduce Your Museum to Your Members of Congress
- This is a critical and valuable time to let your federal legislators know about the work you are doing in the community and the ways you can be a resource to them. Start with our template and personalize to share additional information about your work or your museum. It takes just a few clicks to make that first important contact.
Learn More About Museums Advocacy Day
- Museums Advocacy Day, in Washington, D.C., is a unique opportunity to join with other museum professionals and supporters to make the case for museums. A new Congress has convened, facing an enormous list of timely policy debates, including support for museums. Together as a field we’ve defeated several threats to eliminate or de-fund federal agencies supporting museums, but we must keep making our case.
Access Advocacy Resources
- The Alliance offers a wide variety of resources for building your own advocacy skills, learning about Congress, making your case effectively, and getting involved in advocacy for museums.
Download and Share Critical Data
- Museums as Economic Engines: Did you know that the total economic contribution of museums in 2016 amounted to more than $50 billion in GDP, 726,200 jobs, and $12 billion in taxes to local, state, and federal governments? Get the full, free report and download the your state’s infographic.
- Museums & Public Opinion: National public opinion polling shows that Americans overwhelmingly appreciate and recognize the work of museums as educational and economic assets to their communities. Even more, Americans broadly support federal funding of museums and approve of lawmakers who take action to support them. The data speaks clearly, Americans value the museums in their communities.
- Museum Facts and Data: See and share key facts about museums’ economic impact and how they support and partner with schools and serve their communities.
Stand for your Mission: Engage Your Board in Advocacy
Download our report and discussion guide on how your museum and trustees can be more effective at integrating advocacy into the work of your board. Download your copy of Stand for Your Mission now.
And visit our Trustee Resource Center for additional information about working with your museum’s trustees.