Press Release, American Alliance of Museums Statement on the 2024 Elections, American Alliance of Museums, 8 November 2024

The American Alliance of Museums recognizes the 2024 federal election results present the potential for significant policy shifts that could directly impact museums. As your Alliance and as a nonpartisan 501(c)(3), we are steadfast in our decades-long commitment to strong, bipartisan support and reinforcing the fact that museums are a critical investment for our country.

96% of people across all party lines want their legislators to support museums. Museum funding is not a partisan issue. Museums support all communities across our country regardless of political affiliation.

Together, we will chart a path forward that builds on our history of working with both political parties. Now is the time to join us because when we come together as an Alliance, there is no stopping what we can do. This was demonstrated clearly during the current and past administrations when we collaborated with legislators from across party lines to:

• In 2018, signficantly increase the budget for the Institute of Museum & Library Services for the first time in the nine years prior, despite repeated calls to eliminate IMLS, NEA, and NEH.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, earmark more than $200 million in financial relief for these agencies.
• Include museums in PPP and SVOG relief programs and received billions in financial support that saved thousands of museums and museum jobs.
• Increase appropriations to the Office of Museum Services (OMS) by 80% in the last ten years.

These wins would not have happened without the strong allies and bipartisan support that we have been building in Congress and around the country for years.

Together as a field, we’ve defeated several attempts to eliminate or de-fund federal agencies supporting museums. To ensure these threats don’t become a reality, we must keep speaking up for museums and the roles they play in the economic vitality of our communities.

We will keep fighting for funding for museums of all types and sizes and ensure that all legislators know the value of the work that you do.

What’s next:

Our government relations and advocacy team is working hard to provide you with a deeper analysis of what the election results could mean for museums, so be on the lookout for our next Alliance Advocacy Alert in the coming days.

Museums Advocacy Day registration opens soon. As this event has grown larger over the last several years, we’re moving venues to accommodate even more museum people who want to make the case for our field.

What you can do now:

If you do not currently receive Alliance Advocacy Alerts, sign up for them.

Use our quick template to urge your legislators to support FY 2025 OMS funding.

Share Your Connections: The AAM Government Relations & Advocacy staff looks forward to working with the new Congress. We know that you may already have connections with your new or returning members of Congress and hope you will share that information with us by filling out our Washington Connections Contact Form, so we can work together on outreach.

Join the Alliance. Your membership with AAM supports the work we do.