Museums Matter. Share It!
When we broadcast widely what our museums are doing for families, schools, and communities, we create awareness of the work we are capable of with the right kinds of resources. THIS is advocacy. Share your stories – everywhere and often.
The more our representatives know about the work you are doing, the more they will understand the need for funding and programming by federal agencies such as the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and National Science Foundation (NSF).
Encourage others to share. It’s as simple as writing letters, sending emails, and even tweeting a photo and tagging a state representative. We at the Association of Midwest Museums believe that advocacy is the responsibility of every museum board member, employee, and volunteer and we are ready to provide resources and training to museums who are ready to get involved.
Museums are Economic Engines
Two new groundbreaking reports from the American Alliance of Museums reveal indisputable evidence that museums contribute more to the United States economy than previously thought and have widespread public support that transcends political affiliations and geographic locations.
- The first study, Museums as Economic Engines, reveals that museums support 726,000 jobs in the United States, and directly employ 372,100 people– more than double that of the professional sports industry.
- The second report, Museums & Public Opinion, examines the opinions of Americans concerning museums and shows 96 percent would approve of elected officials who act to support museums, including maintaining or increasing federal funding.
You can also view state specific information for the Midwestern Region on these pages: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Museums Advocacy Day
Midwest delegates at Museums Advocacy Day (Courtesy of AAM / Risdon Photography)
Join the American Alliance of Museums, AMM and many other museum professionals across the country at Museums Advocacy Day in late February each year. This is a key opportunity to learn more about advocacy and to personally make the case for museums as education providers and economic drivers with members of Congress and their key staff.
Click here to learn more about this annual event.Legislators repeatedly ask for data, such as economic impact reports. For reference in preparing your own, here is a Sample Economic Impact Statement. Resources such as economic and educational impact statements can be found on AAM’s website.
Find Your Reps:
