Updated February 2025

Museums—a large majority of which are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations—play a key role in education, job creation, tourism, economic development, historic preservation, environmental conservation, and advancing scientific literacy and global competitiveness. Museums are essential community infrastructure and have strong public support: a 2017 national public opinion poll, Museums and Public Opinion, showed that 96% of voters would approve of lawmakers who acted to support museums and 96% want federal funding for museums to be maintained or increased. The museum community—which includes aquariums, art museums, children’s museums, culturally-specific museums, historic sites, history museums, maritime museums, military museums, natural history museums, planetariums, presidential libraries, public gardens, railway museums, science centers, and zoos—has worked together to develop this federal policy agenda.

Issue: Protect Legally Awarded Funding

Congress must insist that executive agencies honor their obligations to disburse funds for grants made in accordance with Congressional appropriations. Grants and contracts already awarded under the review criteria in effect at the time should continue uninterrupted consistent with the budgets, guidance, and requests issued by Congress when those grants were awarded. Changing the criteria after the fact is unfair to the nonprofit organizations, including museums, which responded to valid program solicitations and notices of funding opportunities issued in previous years. This is also consistent with the budgets, guidance, and requests issued by Congress at the time those grants were awarded. If federal funding ends or drastically cut, important museum work would be curtailed or stopped; staff would be cut, via layoffs, furloughs, reduced hours, or hiring freezes; buildings would not be updated and construction would be left half-finished; and some museums would be at risk of closing.

• We urge Congress to oppose the withholding of federal funds legally promised to nonprofit grantees, including museums.

» Learn more on the Protect Legally Awarded Funding issue page.

Issue: IMLS’ Office of Museum Services Funding

Despite its small size, the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ Office of Museum Services is the largest dedicated source of investment in our nation’s museums. OMS leadership and vital financial support is more important than ever to museums of every type, large and small, urban and rural, across our country. OMS provides museums essential help to navigate change and continue to improve their services to better enable them to champion lifelong learning, strengthen community engagement and advance collections stewardship and access to our nation’s cultural heritage. Grants are awarded in every state, but current funding has allowed the agency to fund much less than one-third of the highly rated grant applications it receives. Congress has regularly reauthorized IMLS with broad bipartisan support, most recently in 2018. OMS has set a strong record of congressional support during the appropriations submission process in each of the last several years, with 129 Representatives and 38 Senators signing the FY 2025 appropriations letters on its behalf. In FY 2024, Congress provided $295 million to IMLS, of which $55.5 million was directed to the Office of Museum Services. With this funding, OMS provided 293 grants totaling $55 million to museums and related organizations in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

We urge Congress to:

• maintain at least $55.5 million for FY 2025 and FY 2026 funding (level with current FY 2024) for the IMLS Office of Museum Services, and oppose the drastic funding cuts approved by the House Appropriations Committee.
• prevent the administration from implementing indiscriminate staffing cuts at IMLS. It is essential that IMLS retains the authority to manage its own staffing decisions to continue serving communities effectively.

» Learn more on the IMLS’ Office of Museum Services Funding issue page.

Issue: Earmarks Ban (House of Representatives)

In 2023 a small group in the U.S. House of Representatives forced their then-leadership to name museums as ineligible for Community Project Funding (also known as earmarks) in Appropriations Committee guidance. This deprives museums of needed support and is in direct opposition to the 96% of Americans who favor funding support for museums. Museum earmarks serve critical needs in communities including K-12 education, improvements to energy-efficiency, and increasing tourism and economic development – projects that support communities’ health and vitality.

We urge Representatives to:

• lift the unreasonable and unfair ban that makes museums ineligible for House Community Project Funding (also known as earmarks) in the annual appropriations process.

» Learn more on the House Earmarks Ban page.

Issue: Tax Policy

Contributions to 501(c)(3) charities such as museums are tax-deductible, incentivizing those who itemize deductions to give more. A large majority of museums are 501(c)(3)’s, and charitable giving accounts for more than one-third of their operating funds. Less than ten percent of taxpayers itemize deductions, however, and both the amount given and the number of donors were declining prior to the pandemic. Smaller gifts increased during the pandemic due to the enactment of a temporary deduction for non-itemizers, but it expired at the end of 2021.

We ask members of the House and Senate to:

• cosponsor the Charitable Act (S. 317/H.R. 801), which would renew and expand the charitable tax deduction for non-itemizers.

» Learn more on the Tax Policy issue page. 

Issue: National Endowment for the Humanities

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) provides direct grants to museums, universities, archives, and libraries in support of research, education, and preservation. Due to high demand and extremely limited funding, NEH is only able to fund a small percentage of the proposals it receives. The agency also provides annual grants (approximately 40% of its annual budget) to state humanities councils in every state and US territory. NEH received $207 million in FY 2024 appropriations.

• We urge Congress to provide at least $209 million for the NEH for FY 2025 and FY 2026.

» Learn more on the National Endowment for the Humanities issue page.

Issue: National Endowment for the Arts

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) works to bring the arts to every community in America, including rural areas, military bases, and urban centers. It provides grants to all types of arts organizations—including museums—to exhibit, preserve, and interpret visual materials. The agency’s federal role is uniquely valuable: no other funder, public or private, funds the arts in every state and the US territories. The NEA also distributes roughly 40% of its grant funds to state arts agencies for re-granting. NEA received $207 million in FY 2024 appropriations.

• We urge Congress to provide at least $209 million for the NEA for FY 2025 and FY 2026.

» Learn more on the National Endowment for the Arts issue page.

Issue: Elementary and Secondary Education

Museums are significant education providers, educating students, providing professional development to teachers, and helping teach local curricula, especially critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. Museum education programs help bridge the digital divide. Strong civic education is essential to the future of our constitutional democracy. AAM is an active member of the CivXNow Coalition and supports legislative efforts to invest in K-12 civic education. Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (the “Every Student Succeeds Act”) provides states with significantly more flexibility in setting and meeting performance goals, which could make it easier for schools to work with museums.

• We urge members of Congress to support and cosponsor legislation, which would create grants for states and districts to support and expand access to U.S. history and civics to meet the needs of today’s students and our constitutional democracy.
• We support efforts to promote school-museum partnerships (including museum schools), require greater collaboration between the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, fully fund federal education programs in which museums participate, and fully implement the “well-rounded education” provisions in the Every Student Succeeds Act, which include the many subject areas in which museums help teach the curricula.

» Learn more on the Elementary and Secondary Education issue page.

Issue: Higher Education

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor’s degree are approximately 60% higher than those with a high school diploma, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Yet, student loan balances constitute the largest source of debt for American households. While many museum jobs require bachelor’s or even advanced degrees, nonprofit museum professionals often do not earn as much as they might in the private sector. Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) is a vital tool in allowing talented and highly trained employees from all socioeconomic backgrounds to work at organizations that make an impact in their community. In addition, many museums benefit from Higher Education Act (HEA) program funding.

• We support legislation that ensures Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) is accessible and achievable. We support efforts to improve the affordability and accessibility of higher education for all students. We also ask that Congress support funding for HEA programs in which museums participate, such as Title VI International and Foreign Language Education.

» Learn more on the Higher Education issue page.

Issue: Lifelong STEM Engagement

As museums are key community infrastructure, ensuring Americans’ lifelong engagement in STEM and contributing to America’s leadership in scientific research, we urge Congress to provide robust funding for a variety of programs that support lifelong STEM education and public engagement and research around many of the most important and urgent scientific issues. In particular, we ask Congress to:

• fully fund and authorize museums to participate in STEM engagement and informal STEM education programs across Federal science agencies;
• include opportunities for public engagement as part of agency research programs with significant public interest and ensure that museums are eligible to compete for related awards;
• regard museums and other institutions engaged in informal STEM education as vital components of the STEM education ecosystem;
• fund the following programs at levels that exceed inflation-adjusted levels from recent years: NSF’s Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program at $75 million, NOAA’s Office of Education at $38 million, NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement at $150 million and Science Mission Directorate’s Science Engagement and Partnerships Division at $48 million, and NIH’s Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) program at $25 million; and
• ensure that museums have the opportunity to compete for funds related to facilities improvement to address areas including public health, sustainability, and energy efficiency, including opportunities available to schools and other educational institutions.

» Learn more on the Lifelong STEM Engagement issue page.

Issue: Historic Preservation

In addition to preserving and protecting more than 1 billion objects, many museums are historic themselves, and their collections are critical to telling our collective national story. Historic sites and historic preservation efforts not only protect our national heritage, but they are also economic engines and job creators in the thousands of communities they serve. Minimal government funding helps to leverage significant private support, often through the Historic Tax Credit. FY 2025 HPF appropriations have yet to be decided by Congress, which is operating under a continuing resolution until March 14th. The FY 2024 enacted funding level for the HPF came in at $188.6m, $62.15 million of which was allocated to State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs) and $23 million to Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs). Competitive grant programs received funding as follows: Save America’s Treasures (SAT): $25.5 million, African American Civil Rights: $24 million, Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization grant program: $10 million, Historically Black Colleges/Universities: $11 million, Semiquincentennial celebration grants: $7 million, History of Equal Rights grants: $5 million, Underrepresented Community grants: $1.25 million. This most recent HPF appropriation fell short of the record-setting funding in FY 2023, of over $204 million.

We urge Congress to:

• support HPF appropriations for FY 2026 at no less than $225 million of which at least $70 million will go toward funding State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs) and $34 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs), and minimum funding amounts for competitive grant programs under the HPF: $40 million for Save America’s Treasures; $28 million for African American Civil Rights; $17 million for Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization grants for the rehabilitation of historic properties and economic development of rural communities; $13 million for Historically Black Colleges/Universities; $11 million for U.S. Semiquincentennial celebration grants for our nation’s 250th commemoration; $7 million for Equal Rights grants; and $5 million for Underrepresented Community grants. Include museums in, and provide robust funding for, programs for federal agencies tasked with carrying out America 250 programming and commemorations in the FY 2025 appropriations process.

» The full issue brief is available on the Historic Preservation issue page.

Issue: Climate Action and Museums

Museums can help advance carbon neutrality and respond to the impacts of climate change. Museums are considered one of the most trustworthy sources of information in America, and as such are excellent entry points for climate conversations, both community-oriented and internal. As educational institutions, museums are valuable engines for understanding environment and climate issues. They have a distinct ability to engage the public and the media with data, images, and context for knowledge-building. Museums are research hubs and have contributed to climate change research across a variety of areas. Museums are valuable pilot sites for experimental technologies through operations and exhibits. Museums are essential community infrastructure and local partners for achieving environmental sustainability goals. They are connected to their fellow nonprofits, educational systems, and local businesses, and can model practices to inspire and collaborate with their communities to help reach desired outcomes.

We urge Congress to:

• Increase funding for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s Sec. 40541 Energy Efficiency Materials Pilot Program for Nonprofits also known as “Renew America’s Nonprofits”— a $50 million pilot program to award grants for energy-efficiency materials upgrades to buildings owned and operated by 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, including museums.
• Increase funding for other museum eligible grant programs, such as the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Climate Smart Program, and to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) specifically to support climate change work in museums, including facility adaptations and resiliency work, as well as exhibits and programs.
• Include museums as named community partners and as eligible nonprofit organizations in legislation for energy and climate funding opportunities and education initiatives.

» Learn more on the Climate Action and Museums issue page.

Issue: Public Diplomacy and the Protection of Cultural Property

As welcoming and trusted community anchors, museums are perfectly positioned to help build cross-cultural relationships, which are enhanced by collections that span the world across centuries. In recent years, irreplaceable cultural property has been lost in places like Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Mali, and Afghanistan. Protecting this property—both directly and by working through international organizations—is a vital part of United States diplomacy, showing the respect of the United States for other cultures and the common heritage of humanity. American museums and the conservation professionals who work with them are some of the world’s best at protecting and caring for cultural property.

• We urge Congress to pursue measures that protect cultural property around the world, and to consider museums and conservation professionals as part of the solution to these issues. We expect the United States Government to comply with international law and urge the U.S. Government to maintain its commitment to its longstanding practice of not targeting cultural sites during peace or wartime.

» Learn more on the Public Diplomacy and the Protection of Cultural Property issue page.

Issue: Shutdown Prevention and Economic Impact

Government shutdowns occur with some frequency; there have been 20 of them since 1976. During the 16-day shutdown in October 2013, hundreds of museums nationwide—as well as national parks, forests, monuments, and historic sites—were forced to close their doors. This prevented the public from enjoying artworks, historic treasures, and lands that are intended to be held in the public trust. The economic impact of these closures was devastating, not just for the entities themselves, but for many businesses that rely on the tourism they generate. The damage from the 35-day 2018-2019 partial government shutdown—the longest in US history—was enormous and cost the government a total of $11 billion. The Smithsonian lost an estimated $3.4 million in revenue and the National parks lost more than $10 million in revenue.

• We urge Congress to amend the Anti-Deficiency Act to allow for the continuity of operations and public access to our nation’s public lands and federally operated museums in the event of a funding gap.

» Learn more on the Shutdown Prevention and Economic Impact issue page.

Issue: The Multinational Species Conservation Funds and Wildlife Conservation

In addition to educating the public about wildlife, accredited zoos and aquariums also protect species in their collections and across their natural habitats. The Multinational Species Conservation Funds (MSCF) are targeted investments in global priority species such as African and Asian elephants, tigers, rhinos, great apes, tortoises, freshwater turtles, and marine turtles. The MSCF program helps to sustain wildlife populations by combating poaching, reducing human-wildlife conflict, and protecting essential habitats globally. Despite its modest funding level, this program has a significant impact because it consistently leverages almost a 2 to 1 match of federal dollars from partner governments, local NGOs, international conservation organizations, and private businesses.

• The museum community, including botanical gardens, strongly supports efforts to protect native wildlife, including declining pollinator populations.

Background: Museums and the COVID-19 Pandemic

The pandemic inflicted considerable damage on US museums, a large majority of which are 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organizations. While the museum field is making strides in its recovery efforts, it will take years to fully rebound to pre-pandemic levels of staffing, revenue, and attendance. 2024 survey data shows encouraging improvement from 2023 though recovery remains uneven, and many museums have not yet returned to their pre-pandemic attendance or financial health. Despite the tremendous financial and psychological stress caused by the pandemic, museum professionals filled the gaps to meet the needs of their communities. They continue to demonstrate the critical role museums play in our country’s infrastructure and deepen their impact in their communities.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, museums across the country continued contributing to the ongoing education of our country’s children by providing lesson plans, online learning opportunities, and drop-off learning kits to teachers and families. They used their outdoor spaces to grow and donate produce to area food banks, and maintained these spaces for individuals to safely relax, enjoy nature, and recover from the mental health impacts of social isolation. They provided access to childcare and meals to families of health care workers and first responders, donated their PPE and scientific equipment to fight COVID-19, and served as vaccination centers.

Other Issues

Ethics and Best Practices in Museums

For hundreds of years, museums have held objects in the public trust. Today, American museums preserve and protect more than a billion objects. Sometimes they face questions related to: historic artifacts; ownership; Nazi-era assets; sacred objects; human remains; the loan, sale or donation of objects; or their diligence in probing the history of such objects. The museum field takes these concerns very seriously. Since 1925, the museum field has been actively working to ensure that museums adhere to rigorous ethical standards. The American museum community is committed to continually identifying and achieving the highest standard of legal and ethical policies and practices. In October of 2022, AAM announced a multi-year initiative to transform the standards that guide best practices and accreditation for museums. New requirements will focus on including diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI) practices that are critical for the future vitality and sustainability of the museum field and essential to meet the evolving needs of the public, and a revised AAM Code of Ethics.

» Learn more on the Ethics and Best Practices issue page.

There are several other issues that AAM cares deeply about. Learn more about some of these additional issues.