The Alliance presents awards to members of Congress who have demonstrated exemplary support for museums. Nominations are accepted from the museum field each year and awards are presented during Museums Advocacy Day events.

Has a member of Congress supported or helped advance the work at your museum?  Nominate a legislator by November 30.

Awards will be presented during Museums Advocacy Day 2026 in Arlington, VA, & Washington, D.C., February 23-24.  See past honorees below.

Honorees

2025

2024

• Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
• Representative Blake Moore (R-UT)

2023

• Senator Chris Coons (D-DE)
• Senator James Lankford (R-OK)

2022

• Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ)
• Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI)
• Representative Fred Upton (R-MI)

2021

• Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

2020

• Senator John Hoeven (R-ND)
• Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA)

2019

• Senator Jack Reed (D-RI)
• Senator Susan Collins (R-ME)
• Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
• Representative Will Hurd (R-TX)

2018

• Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
• Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)

2017

• Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS)
• Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)

2016

• Senator Patty Murray (D-WA)
• Representative Tim Murphy (R-PA)

2015

• Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO)
• Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
• Representative Tom Cole (R-OK)
• Representative David Price (D-NC)

2014

• Senator Tom Udall (D-NM)
• Representative Michael Grimm (R-NY)

2013

• Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL)
• Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
• Representative John Lewis (D-GA)
• Representative David McKinley (R-WV)

2012

• Senator Richard Burr (R-NC)
• Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
• Representative Xavier Becerra (D-CA)
• Representative Aaron Schock (R-IL)

2011

• Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
• Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA)
• Representative Leonard Lance (R-NJ)
• Representative John Larson (D-CT)
• Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
• Representative Mike Simpson (R-ID)

2010

• Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
• Senator Jack Reed (D-RI)
• Senator George Voinovich (R-OH)
• Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN)
• Representative Todd Platts (R-PA),
• Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY)
• Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY)

2009

• Senator Michael Enzi (R-WY)
• Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA)
• Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY)