EdCom Award for Excellence in Resources

2022 AAM Awards Update: To maximize reach, engagement, impact, and learning for the museum field—as well as the celebration of our inspiring award winners—AAM awards programs are currently under review and temporarily on hold. This will likely result in a shift of award submission deadlines, previously set to align around the AAM Annual Meeting & Museum Expo. We look forward to sharing more information later in 2022 through our website and member communications.

Please note for 2021 EdCom will be only offering the EdCom Award for Innovation and Education–Pandemic Edition.

The award for Excellence in Resources recognizes outstanding resources in print, online, and/or multimedia formats.

The criteria for the awards are:
• Audience Research – Who is the intended audience and how does the product serve them? How does it reflect meaningful research and evaluation results? Were audience members involved in the creation of the product? How?
• Best Practices in Education Theory – How have staff and designer worked together to encourage that learning takes place? How could you tell the piece was successful? How is it aligned to the institution’s mission?
• Creativity and Design – Is the product well designed and visually appealing? Is it unique and original? Is it easy to use? Do form and function ultimately create a powerful learning experience?

You must be a member of AAM and EdCom to be considered for the award.

Nominations are now closed.

There is a $25 fee for each entry. This fee goes towards the production of the awards and towards paying for one ticket for the Excellence in Resources Award winner to the EdCom Luncheon where the awards are given out at the AAM Annual Meeting. Your nomination will not be considered complete until the fee has been paid. To pay the fee, visit http://ww2.aam-us.org/about-us/grants-awards-and-competitions/excellence-in-resources/application-fee. This link will reappear after you submit the nomination form below.

All EdCom Award Recipients receive the following recognition:

• Honored at the AAM Annual Meeting
• Awardees receive recognition in EdCom’s e-newsletter
• Awardees may be featured in a future national webinar or article on best practices in museum education
• Awardees may be featured in a “Best Practices in Museum Education” panel at the AAM Annual Meeting
• All awardees receive an award, perfect for public display

Questions? (no award submissions please) Please contact Brooke Rosenblatt, EdCom Awards Lead (rosenblattb (a) si (dot) edu).

Recipients

2020

• Five Ways In: Family Activity Guides in English, Spanish, Somali, and Hmong
  Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN

2019

• Sea Curious Kids Video Series
  Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL

2017

• Bubblehub- Volunteer Online Community
  John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL

2016

• Words and Music Teacher’s Guide for grades 3-6 (link)
  The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Nashville TN

2015

• “I’m Here” Gallery Guide Series
  Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ

2014

• Manual: a journal about art and its making (link)
  RISD Museum, Providence, RI

2013

• Preparing for the Oath: U.S. History and Civics for Citizenship
  Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Washington, DC