AAM has launched its first initiative on “Diversity Inclusion” we are taking the lead and boldly addressing the challenges that our museums face across the country.

Since 2000, the Diversity Fellowship Program has provided support to 112 fellowship recipients to attend AAM’s Annual Meetings. We are committedto providing leadership, education, and support to develop a career-building experience that values inclusion in our museums.

AAM’s Strategic Initiative
Museums across the country must actively address the growing diversity of national and local populations, recognizing new audiences and community goodwill as indispensable, as well as knowledge from diverse experiences and enriching each institution’s intellectual capacity.  Museums must strive to increase the culturally and ethically diverse professionals to join with their communities in celebrating the value of diversity.

American Association of Museums Diversity Fellowship Program
The Diversity Fellowship Program is designed to assist full-time students in a museum-related course of study or full-time museum professionals by providing support to attend AAM’s Annual Meetings. Diversity is a great strength of our society, but there is significant disparity between the diversity of our communities and the people who visit, work in, and lead our cultural institutions. Diversity, as it is currently defined by DivCo, means maximum inclusion, respecting and appreciating differences in ethnicity, gender, national origin, disability, age, religion and/or sexual orientation.

“the best imaginings of museum enthusiasts have not yet

set before us a clear picture of a museum of full and rich utility”

(1927)John Cotton Dana, founder of the Newark Museum

The American Association of Museums would like to thank Ewing Cole for their generous support for the 2009 Diversity Fellowship Program.