The AAM`s mission is to protect American museums and develop excellence in partnership with its members and allies. The members of the diverse museum community have something in common – strong support, quality standards, knowledge sharing, and professional networks provided by the American Alliance of Museums.
Since 1906, the AAM has developed best practices, protected American museums, and provided many museum staff and volunteers opportunities. More than 35,000 individual museum professionals and volunteers, institutes, and corporate partners benefit from the work of the Alliance of American Museums.
The American Alliance of Museums also supports the Museum Assessment Program (MAP), which the Science Center is currently using as part of our public engagement initiative.
The American Alliance of Museums protects museums and develops excellence through thought leadership, global thinking, advocacy, and professional development opportunities for museum professionals.
The American Alliance of Museums has published a new study on the impact of the pandemic on cultural workers, showing the devastating impact of the crisis on the sector.
- According to the report, a fifth of the surveyed museum workers and students do not plan to stay in this area after three years.
- 57% of those surveyed indicated burnout, and 59% said low wages would force them to change careers.
- Another shocking figure: about a quarter of the museum employees surveyed did not work last year, and five percent were still not working.
- More than 40 percent of respondents lost income during the pandemic.
- On average, these respondents received 30% of their normal wages.
- The tension was particularly severe for independent consultants and contractors, with more than half of them having their contracts canceled or postponed indefinitely.
The tension was particularly severe for independent consultants and contractors, with more than half of them having their contracts canceled or postponed indefinitely. The report also shows how race and gender affect the way workers deal with the health crisis.
- BIPOC respondents, who made up about 20 percent of those surveyed, reported more financial stress and less financial resources than white respondents.
- Women were more often than men reported increased stress and stress on their well-being.
The American alliance of museums report is based on data collected last month from 2,666 responses, which is a fraction of the 726,000 museum vacancies in the museum sector before the pandemic. In its report, the industry group said these numbers may not reflect the actual number of employees affected by the pandemic, as the survey more readily reached current museum workers than layoffs and those in upper and middle circles in leadership positions.
Laura Lott, President, and CEO of the American alliance of museums said the Alliance has successfully advocated billions of dollars in federal aid funding since the start of the pandemic, supporting thousands of museum jobs. She also added that as museum workers recover, they are going to focus on justice, empathetic leadership, and action that supports the people who make museums possible. The stability and viability of the industry in the future depend on them.
Museums Are Reopening as COVID-19 Restrictions Ease
Currently, American museums are welcoming visitors.
In 2020, many American museums were open. They strictly followed state, city, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regulations.
Christine Anagnos, executive director of the Association of Art Museum Directors, estimates that 90 percent of its member organizations – from the respected Detroit Institute of the Arts to the Portland Museum of Art – have reopened, up from 65 percent in September 2020.
Below, there are nine popular American museums, along with their security measures and attractions.
American Museum of Natural History in New York City
Here, the interactive displays are disabled so as not to touch. Additions include new air filters, temperature checks (visitors with temperatures of 100.4 degrees or more cannot enter), and one-way traffic flows.
Tickets must be booked online and the entrance time will be from 10 am to 4 pm.
Art Institute of Chicago
The number of visitors is limited. It`s only 25 percent of the normal capacity. The museum workers monitor the number of people who enter
You’ll want to view iconic paintings such as “American Gothic” by Grant Wood and Edward Hopper’s much-parodied “Nighthawks,” but the most memorable masterpiece may be the large and lovely “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte” by the French post-Impressionist artist Georges Seurat.
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
You’ll find more than 775,000 objects — from rare gems to mummies — but check out a temporary exhibit on Stonehenge, which runs until Sept. 6 and features 400 artifacts. At the Gates Planetarium, the 23-minute Cosmic Journey will zip you across the solar system.
But remember to buy the tickets online and beforehand.
Field Museum in Chicago
Highly interactive exhibitions are closed though the Field Bistro restaurant is open, with a reduced menu and widely spaced tables.
Look for such well-known crowd-pleasers as a three-story Egyptian tomb and 67 million-year-old Sue, the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever found. A new special exhibition, “Apsáalooke Women and Warriors,” features war shields, beadwork, and more from this Northern Plains tribe often known as the Crow.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex at Cape Canaveral, Florida
The working hours have been reduced to 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to provide time for cleaning and sanitizing the complex. The museum workers will take your temperature.
Stroll the outdoor Rocket Garden to view tall relics from NASA’s Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs, then head inside to the Visitor Complex. Don’t miss the space shuttle Atlantis.
Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City
Gallery rooms may be blocked if they’re full, restrooms have occupancy limits and you can forget about renting an audio guide.
The museum’s 2 million pieces can seem overwhelming, but check out “Washington Crossing the Delaware” along with masterworks by Raphael, Rembrandt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Jackson Pollock, Vincent van Gogh, and Claude Monet.
National WWII Museum in New Orleans
Visitors of this American museum are encouraged to buy timed tickets online in advance. The guests walk in one direction through galleries and leave through a designated exit.
The institution’s 250,000 artifacts span the span of the war. But be sure to watch the 50-minute movie “Beyond All Boundaries,” narrated by Tom Hanks, which you see and feel, from explosions shaking the seats to simulated snow.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland
To this American museum, you must buy timed tickets in advance online. Guests should arrive 30 minutes before their entry time, and nurse trainees will check your temperature.
If you’re a rock fan, you’ll love the famous guitars and wild outfits immensely, but the most awesome outfit might be John Lennon’s, Green Sergeant. Pepper uniform. Other must-see items include Elvis’s golden suit from his 1968 special comeback, David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” outfit, and a Sun Studios piano that has been used for pounding hits like “Great Balls of Fire.”
Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Northern Virginia
This expansive building, half an hour from Washington Dulles International Airport, opened its doors on May 5. You will need a temporary pass. Guided tours canceled and IMAX theater and simulators closed. The museum will be loaded by 20 percent.
As soon as you enter it, you will have a stunning view of the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest aircraft ever flown. Space shuttles Discovery and Concord are among other winged attractions.
