Museums Advocacy Day 2023

Museums Advocacy Day

Illustration of the dome of the U.S. Capitol Building and a megaphone, graphic reads Museums Advocacy Day 2023: February 27-28, 2023.

Registration is now closed. Museums Advocacy Day 2023 will take place in-person in Washington, D.C., on February 27–28!

Museums Advocacy Day is a unique opportunity to join with fellow museum professionals and supporters to speak up for museums.

Together as a field, we’ve defeated several threats to eliminate federal agencies supporting museums and helped secure billions of dollars in financial relief that enabled many museums to survive and saved thousands of museum jobs. As museums across the country work to recover and help their communities rebuild, we must keep making our case to Congress. Legislators do not know how their decisions affect museums if they don’t hear directly from you—the museums and people they represent. The skills, resources, information, and insights you’ll gain as a participant will help sustain your museum’s future and the future of the field, while building life-long skills you can use throughout your career.

Registration for Museums Advocacy Day 2023 is now closed. Registrations are being accepted on a case-by-case basis, depending upon current attendance (capacity) and geographic coverage. If you would like to inquire about registration, or have questions or updates regarding your previously completed registration, please email museumsadvocacyday@aam-us.org.

Learn more below about Museums Advocacy Day 2023:

What to Expect at Museums Advocacy Day 2023
Registration Rates
Book your hotel room
Schedule at a Glance
FAQs

At Museums Advocacy Day 2023 and throughout the year, you have the power to help create lasting change that can sustain museums and museum jobs into the future—join us!

Registration is now closed.

About Museums Advocacy Day: For more than ten years, Museums Advocacy Day has been providing the essential training and support advocates need to meet effectively with members of Congress and their staff. Museums Advocacy Day is a unique opportunity to unite with museum colleagues and supporters from across the country as one voice to reaffirm our essential value, collective contributions, and aspirations while making the critical case for museums directly to Congress.

What to Expect at Museums Advocacy Day 2023:

Museums Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C. includes multiple programming, networking, advocacy, and public policy elements across Sunday-Tuesday.

Sunday, February 26: Check-in, an optional What to Expect session, and the Advocate Welcome & Networking Reception will take place at the Washington Plaza Hotel.
Monday, February 27: All Museums Advocacy Day registrants participating in Tuesday Congressional meetings are expected to participate in Monday programming in order to be fully prepared for Tuesday Congressional Meetings. Programming—including Federal Agency overviews, timely Advocacy and Public Policy sessions, and time for state delegation coordination—will take place at the Washington Plaza Hotel. With feedback from attendees in recent years, Monday programming will be more abbreviated and attendees will continue to have access to pre-event information and webinars in the weeks and months leading up to Museums Advocacy Day. We heard from several of you that this innovation worked during last year’s virtual Museums Advocacy Day, and we’re excited to carry through this consideration when we return in-person.
Tuesday, February 28: Congressional meetings, scheduled by the Alliance, will be held in-person on Capitol Hill. Participating advocates will be grouped by state and Congressional district for Congressional meetings. Following Congressional meetings, gather with fellow advocates during the Tuesday Congressional Reception. Learn more in our FAQ below.

Registration Rates:

Registration fees help offset only a portion of the cost incurred by AAM to run Museums Advocacy Day. Returning to an in-person event includes significantly increased costs. Global supply chain disruptions, rising energy prices, and other factors have caused the cost of food and other services to hit a record high. While we estimate participation in Museums Advocacy Day to cost at least $300 per participant this year, the registration options are designed to be as affordable as possible for participants. If you are able, we hope you will support our cause further by registering at the Sustainer, Champion, or Super Advocate rate—your registration supports this critical work for our field.

For 2023, you can choose from the following registration rates:

Member – $75 – As a benefit of AAM membership you have access to this deeply discounted registration rate to participate in Museums Advocacy Day.
Non-member – $145 – You are not a member of AAM and require a significantly subsidized rate to participate in Museums Advocacy Day.
Sustainer – $199 – You know the power of participating in Museums Advocacy Day and want to contribute more towards the cost of attending.
Champion – $275 – You value participating in Museums Advocacy Day and can afford to cover nearly the full cost of the Museums Advocacy Day experience.
Super Advocate – $349 – You know support for advocates is essential to a successful Museums Advocacy Day experience and want to help ensure that cost isn’t a barrier for others to participate.

See the FAQ below for commonly asked questions about registration.

Interested in attending Museums Advocacy Day, but are unable to afford registration due to financial hardship? Contact us.

Book your hotel room:

The Alliance has secured a block of rooms at the Washington Plaza Hotel, which is where Monday programming takes place and a short Metro ride to Capitol Hill on Tuesday. The discounted rate is $209 for single or double occupancy, exclusive of applicable state and local taxes.

If your dates of stay fall between February 26-March 2, use this link to see availability and book.
If you want to also check February 25 availability, use this link to see availability and book.

Bookings should be made by February 3. After that, the hotel may continue to accept bookings in the Museums Advocacy Day room block based on availability.

Pre-Event On-Demand Webinars

Several on-demand webinars, including session program recordings and advocacy trainings, will be made available to attendees in the weeks and months leading up to Museums Advocacy Day for you to access at your convenience and based on your interests.

Schedule at a Glance:

The Museums Advocacy Day 2023 schedule at a glance is subject to change. More details on the Monday, February 27 program will be available soon. Sign up for updates to be alerted when the schedule is available.

Sunday, February 26 (Washington Plaza Hotel)

2-5 p.m. – Registration and Materials Pick Up

3-4 p.m. – What to Expect at Museums Advocacy Day (optional program)

5-6:30 p.m. – Advocate Welcome & Networking Reception

Monday, February 27 (Washington Plaza Hotel)

7:30–8:30 a.m. – Registration and Networking Breakfast

8:30–8:50 a.m. – Welcome and “Why We’re Here and What’s at Stake in 2023”

8:50–10:05 a.m. – Federal Agency Overviews

10:05–10:25 a.m. – Networking Break

10:25–11:25 a.m. – Advocacy Sessions

11:25–11:40 a.m. – Networking Break

11:40 a.m.–12 p.m. – Advocacy Session

12–1 p.m. – Networking Lunch

1–1:45 p.m. – Advocacy Session

1:45–2 p.m. – Networking Break

2–2:30 p.m. – Public Policy Briefings

2:30–2:45 p.m. – Networking Break

2:45–4 p.m. – Prepare and Practice Your Capitol Hill Visits

Tuesday, February 28 (Capitol Hill)

Tuesday AM – Breakfast on your own

8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. – Meetings on Capitol Hill. AAM will schedule Congressional meetings and participants will receive a personalized schedule prior to the event.

5–7 p.m. – Congressional Reception

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The FAQs will be updated as more information becomes available.

General:

Who should participate in Museums Advocacy Day?

All those working in and with the broad museum field are encouraged and welcomed to participate – including museum professionals, independent professionals, museum field vendors and partners, trustees, retirees, students, and individuals seeking employment in a museum, at all stages of their career. Whatever your current role, Museums Advocacy Day is a unique and powerful professional development opportunity.

Will Museums Advocacy Day 2023 be hybrid?

Museums Advocacy Day 2023 will not be a hybrid event. The Monday, February 27 program and Tuesday, February 28 Congressional meetings are in-person in 2023.

We know the last two years opened participation to new advocates who traditionally may not be able to attend in-person. We want to continue to ensure that Museums Advocacy Day is a high-quality, meaningful, feasible, and effective in-person experience while also continuing to engage advocates around the country in building their advocacy skills and advocating for museums. Please stay tuned for any additional information about participating in Advocacy from Anywhere in coordination with Museums Advocacy Day 2023.

What will Congressional meetings be like in 2023?

The Alliance is requesting in-person Congressional meetings for 2023. We anticipate that security policies, protocols, and access restrictions on Capitol Hill will continue to evolve between now and February. Some Congressional offices are and may continue to be accepting primarily virtual visits for some time while many are scheduling in-person visits. For the limited number of Congressional offices who continue to prefer meeting in a virtual format, virtual visits may be considered, but are not guaranteed.

Is attending the Monday programming required?

All Museums Advocacy Day registrants participating in Tuesday Congressional meetings are expected to participate in Monday programming in order to be fully prepared for Tuesday Congressional meetings. There is also an optional Sunday, February 26 session “What to Expect at Museums Advocacy Day” which is encouraged for first-timers or anyone who wants a primer or refresher to learn more about making the case for museums during Museums Advocacy Day (and beyond).

Registration FAQs:

When can I register or make changes to my registration?

If you have registered but can no longer attend, all cancellation requests must be made via e-mail museumsadvocacyday@aam-us.org. The Alliance is not responsible for cancellation or transfer requests that are incomplete or are not received. Cancellation requests received before January 20, 2023, will receive a refund minus a $25.00 administration fee. The $25.00 administration fee covers the cost of processing cancellations. Refunds are not guaranteed after January 20, 2023.

If you become unable to participate in Museums Advocacy Day 2023, please notify AAM as soon as possible, especially so we are aware of impacts to Congressional meetings being scheduled by AAM. Substitutions may be accepted as is feasible. Registrants who are no longer able to attend Museums Advocacy Day may request a substitution by submitting their request in writing to: museumsadvocacyday@aam-us.org

I’m not seeing the member rate but think I am a member. What should I do?

Individual membership status and your organization’s membership status can be verified by logging in to view your profile. If you need additional assistance regarding your membership contact our membership team by email at membership[at]aam-us.org.

If your membership is not active, become an AAM member today or renew your membership.

I have a question about registration options, a technical issue, or need more information.

Contact our team at museumsadvocacyday@aam-us.org.

For Attendees:

What can I expect leading up to Museums Advocacy Day 2022, and how can I prepare?

For all who registered: At any time, you can access our breadth of Advocacy and Advocate from Anywhere resources to learn about your legislators, deepen your own advocacy skills, and engage in year-round advocacy for museums.

In the weeks leading up to Museums Advocacy Day 2023, we will share additional information via email with registered attendees to prepare for Museums Advocacy Day 2023 by helping you learn about your legislators, the legislative process, issues affecting museums, and advocacy tips and best practices. Stay tuned for details. Important note: In order to receive our updates, please ensure you are subscribed to AAM emails by filling out this form (it will notify you if you are already subscribed), and, if you haven’t already done so, add communications [at] aam-us [dot] org to your Safe Senders list and contacts.

When will I know my Congressional meeting schedule?

The Alliance is arranging your Congressional meetings on Capitol Hill for you based on the information you provided during registration. Access to your customized Congressional meetings schedule will be emailed to your prior to Museums Advocacy Day 2023 and will be available via electronic format as any updates are made.

How will I be able to prepare for my scheduled Congressional meetings?

The programming, as well as the information and resources emailed to registrants, will provide the essentials to help you and fellow advocates from your state or region prepare for your meetings. Additionally, the Monday, February 27 program includes state delegation coordination time to convene from 2:45-4 p.m. (tentative) with fellow advocates from your state or region to plan, prepare, and practice for your Congressional meetings. Many state and regional museum associations also actively participate in Museums Advocacy Day, several working with the registered advocates from their state or region, prior to Museums Advocacy Day, to further coordinate and prepare for Congressional meetings across the delegation. You may receive communication from a state or regional association sharing information and the invitation to participate in pre-event sessions held and organized by them.

Why participate in Museums Advocacy Day:

We must make the case for museums.

Lawmakers need to hear from you loud and clear the urgent and continued need for economic assistance for museums, and how you and your museum have been impacted by the pandemic and serving your community in unique and critical ways. Museums Advocacy Day harnesses our collective energy when we join together to make the case to legislators that museums are essential.

Constituents are the best advocates.

As a constituent, you are in the best position to create lasting change. Constituent visits and interactions have a greater influence on legislators than any other group or strategy. It’s up to each of us to make the case for museums to Congress and tell the story of why museums are essential in our communities. Your constituency is your advocacy super-power.

Museums Advocacy Day is inspiring, energizing and impactful.

Unite with museum colleagues and supporters from across the country as one voice by connecting with lawmakers to reaffirm our value, collective contributions, and aspirations. Get the information and insights you need to effectively speak up for museums. Join us for Museums Advocacy Day and be a part of our collective movement.

Museums Advocacy Day is a unique opportunity.

Network with peers from your region, hear from federal agency and nonprofit leaders and build your own professional and leadership skills. Learn advocacy strategies and techniques you can use on Capitol Hill, during virtual visits, with your city council and state legislators, with local and regional funders, and to advocate for yourself throughout your career.

Each year the robust Program is updated to educate and inspire both new and returning advocates.

Get timely, insider information from policy leaders and the tools and information you need to be a successful advocate for museums on Capitol Hill. Whether you are a new or seasoned advocate, you will get all the preparation you need to effectively make the case for museums – virtually, on Capitol Hill, and with your state and local elected officials.

Become an Organizational Supporter

Museums Advocacy Day would not be possible without broad, field-wide support. See the 2023 Supporters.

Empower Advocates to Raise Their Voices

You can make an individual donation to the cause today.

Ways to Advocate Today

Check out #MuseumsAdvocacy2022 for Museums Advocacy Day 2022 highlights.
Access AAM Advocacy Resources
Invite Congress to Visit Your Museum, including our quick video on 6 Reasons to Participate in Invite Congress
Stay informed with Alliance Advocacy Alerts

Museums Advocacy Day Videos

Share inspiration from past Museums Advocacy Day attendees.

There are many additional ways you can advocate for museums during Museums Advocacy Day and throughout the year:

AAM Members get exclusive access to premium digital content including:

Featured articles from Museum magazine
Access to more than 1,500 resource listings from the Resource Center
Tools, reports, and templates for equipping your work in museums

Your current membership level does not allow you to access this content.

Upgrade Your Membership

Advocating really felt very affirming. I never realized how much stock legislators and their staff put into their constituents’ viewpoints.

— Emily Lassiter, 2017 Advocate

Upcoming Events

Presented by: American Alliance of Museums

Washington, DC

Presented by: American Alliance of Museums

Denver, CO

View All Events