For Immediate Release

Washington, DC — Three hundred and fifty staff, students, board members, volunteers, supporters, and independent professionals who work for and with museums traveled to Washington, DC, from across the country to advocate for federal support of America’s museums, making visits to over 300 House and Senate offices on Capitol Hill. Organized by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the seventeenth annual Museums Advocacy Day, February 24–25, will present Congress with powerful research and stories on the economic, educational, and community impact museums have locally and nationally.

Museums serve all people and all communities across America every day. During Museums Advocacy Day 2025, we urge Congress to invest in these vital institutions to ensure museums remain accessible, innovative, and impactful for all, and we advocate for Congress’ tradition of strong bipartisan backing of the agencies who support the critical role museums play. Museums remain among the most trusted institutions in our society. Even amid a growing crisis in public trust, research shows that the public still holds museums in high regard, ranking just behind friends and family, and far above researchers, news organizations, and the government. Remarkably, this trust spans every segment of our community, regardless of race, ethnicity, political beliefs, or attitudes toward inclusion.

“Museums are essential to communities across the United States, serving as stewards of cultural heritage, centers for lifelong learning, community hubs, and catalysts for economic and workforce development,” said Marilyn Jackson, President & CEO of AAM. “Museums Advocacy Day 2025 will unite hundreds of museum advocates to showcase the profound impact of museums and urge Congress to support these vital institutions that enhance the quality of life for all Americans.”

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Legislative asks:

Museums Advocacy Day 2025 comes at a time when recent Executive Orders have cast uncertainty over federal funding. Museum advocates will urge Congress to protect legally awarded funds to nonprofits, including museums. Advocates will urge Congress to support at least $55.5 million for fiscal year (FY) 2025 and FY 2026 (same level as FY 2024) for the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ Office of Museum Services (OMS), and to sign on to Appropriations letters supporting “robust funding” for OMS once circulated. Advocates will urge legislators to include a non-itemizer charitable deduction in any forthcoming tax package and co-sponsor the Charitable Act (S. 317/H.R. 801) to renew and expand the deduction.

Congressional Honorees

Each year during Museums Advocacy Day, the Alliance presents awards to legislators who have demonstrated exemplary support for museums. This year’s awardees are Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY) for his leadership supporting funding to help museums better serve their communities and Representative Vern Buchanan (R-FL) for his leadership to boost charitable giving.

Advocacy Leadership Awards

During Museums Advocacy Day, the Alliance presented awards to advocates who have demonstrated exemplary leadership in their advocacy for the museum field:

Andy Finch, Association of Art Museum Directors, for tirelessly working to advocate not only for art museums, but for the entire museum community. The Association of Art Museum Directors, are active leaders on key topics impacting museums, mobilizing art museums to speak up, and long-time supporters for Museums Advocacy Day.

Jeanne Schultz Angel, Illinois Association of Museums, for exceptional leadership in upholding the value of museums and advocating for them steadfastly at both the state and national levels, representing the states’ hundreds of museums at all levels of government. Each year, a strong Illinois presence on Capitol Hill for Museums Advocacy Day shows the impacts of this strong advocacy leadership for museums.

About the American Alliance of Museums

The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) is the only organization representing the entire museum field, from art and history museums to science centers and zoos. Since 1906, we have been championing museums through advocacy and providing museum professionals with the resources, knowledge, inspiration, and connections they need to move the field forward.

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Press Contact:

Natanya Khashan
media@aam-us.org