PA Museums loves serving the museum community and can only do so with your membership support.

PA Museums is THE leader in sharing information about the state of

Pennsylvania’s museums and historical organizations. This includes the latest

on grant opportunities, professional development, and efforts at the state

and the national level to increase support for museums and historical organizations

like the one this year that increased general operating grants for museums in

Pennsylvania through the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

Beginning in January 2025, our newsletter will be available to members only. Every issue of our newsletter is sent to more than 2,000 of your colleagues across the

Commonwealth. You get valuable, actionable information through this

communication 25-30 times during the year. We have an array of affordable

membership options. You can strengthen the museums community and continue

receiving this valuable communication: ensure your membership is up-to-date

at the link below or become a new member. And thank you!

JOIN IN OUR THANK YOU CAMPAIGN!

It's time to thank Pennsylvania's lawmakers for increasing the Cultural and Historical Support grants line item in the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission's budget from $2 million to $4 million. PA Museums encourages our members, especially those who have benefited from the PHMC’s Cultural and Historical Support grant program, to contact members of the Pennsylvania House and Senate to show our appreciation for this crucial funding. We cannot do this alone; lawmakers need to hear from our member organizations and those that receive PHMC's grant support.

You can find your legislator here. We have prepared a sample message that you can use:

Dear:

           On behalf of (your organization) thank you very much for your strong support of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC)’s Cultural and Historical Support Grants, which provide critical operating support for about 170 museums and historical societies. I, along with the PA Museums, appreciate your support for increasing the Cultural and Historical Support grants line item to $4 million in the FY24-25 PA Budget. This level of funding will greatly increase the ability of museums and historical societies to operate, attract visitors, and tell Pennsylvania’s stories.

           PA Museums is a statewide association, an independent nonprofit creating and supporting museum community in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania’s museum community includes museums of all kinds large and small. Our rich heritage as one of the original thirteen colonies has provided a firm foundation for our museums, historic sites, history organizations, science museums, and children’s museums to engage millions of visitors annually with world class collections and programs. Our community of museums and historical organizations are centers of teaching and learning about local and Pennsylvania history for school children and preserving the history and the architecture of communities. These institutions are the stewards of millions of dollars in artifacts and hallowed places that tell the story of our state and its people. Welcoming over 7.6 million visitors in 2024, our organizations are economic drivers for tourism dollars and make direct and indirect impacts to the economy while supporting 25,000 jobs in the Commonwealth.

           The resumption of healthy funding for museums and history organizations through the Cultural and Historical Support grants will address economic pressures on nonprofit museums to operate in the service of their communities.

           Thank you for your initiative and assistance with the PHMC’s Cultural and Historical Grants program for nonprofit museums, historic sites, and historical societies across the Commonwealth. We look forward to your continued support.

Sincerely, 

Please feel free to add information about how important this funding is to your organization and send it on your organization’s letterhead. To help us keep track of this push, please forward copies of your letters to us at PA Museums. This step is very important as we try to reach out to as many elected officials as we can.

Now is the time; please lend your voice to this effort. 

THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS (AAM)

Congress, unable to tackle its task of completing a budget, approved a continuation of current funding levels through December 20, 2024 to avoid a government shutdown. The Senate has recommended a reduced budget for the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ (IMLS) Office of Museum Services (OMS) for FY 2025, while the House bill proposes even deeper cuts. 

As the House and Senate continue negotiations, take action with AAM's easy-to-use template and urge your legislators to oppose these cuts and support at least $55.5 million for OMS and support at least $209 million each for the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Mark your calendar for February 24-25 in Arlington, VA, and Washington, D.C. The new headquarters hotel, the Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel will host Monday's Museums Advocacy Day programming. Museums Advocacy Day 2025 is a critical opportunity to make the case for museums early in what is sure to be a high-stakes year for museums and other causes. This is a chance to meet with key decision-makers and advocate directly for the issues that matter most to museums. Stay tuned for additional information and registration details this fall.

MEMBERSHIP

The Historical Society of Montgomery County is looking for its next Executive Director. If your organization has a job to post with PA Museums, please review our guidelines and contact us. You can also complete and submit your job posting on our easy-to-use form.

Participate in Museums for All: This program allows those receiving food assistance to gain free or reduced admission to museums. Attend a webinar on October 17 at 2:30 p.m. Eastern to learn more about the program and how your organization can participate. Register here.

A new survey is gathering data to help small history organizations improve their long-term viability. The survey will explore opinions and experiences on collections management, digital strategies, volunteer engagement, and relations with partner organizations. Your participation will help inform scholarship in this little-studied area. You can access the study here. The survey closes 10/30/24.



Have you heard about Made By Us? Made By Us is a partnership of museums engaged in history and civics education focused on GenZ. There is no cost to join as a partner and much to be gained--including program ideas, valuable information on the GenZ demographic, and opportunities for partnering with like-minded museums and historical organizations.

Museum Store Sunday is held the Sunday after Thanksgiving to encourage the public to support museums and enjoy the unique shopping experience in one-of-a-kind stores. This year, Museum Store Sunday is December 1. Register here to have your store included on a map of participating stores and to access a toolkit to help market your participation.

Save the date for PA Museums' 2025 Conference. We'll be in Erie, PA, September 28-30, 2025. Look for more details soon.

SUPPORT FOR YOUR WORK

IMLS

IMLS is accepting applications for eight grant programs, all due no later than November 15, 2024: 

21st Century Museum Professionals Program - Advances the growth and development of a diverse workforce of museum professionals. 

Inspire! Grants for Small Museums - Supports small museums of all disciplines in project-based efforts to serve the public. 

Museum Grants for African American History and Culture - Designed to build the capacity of African American museums and support the growth and development of museum professionals at African American museums. 

*NEW* Museum Grants for American Latino History and Culture - Designed to build the capacity of American Latino history and culture museums to serve their communities, and broadly advance the growth and development of a professional workforce in American Latino institutions. 

Museums Empowered - Supports projects that use the transformative power of professional development and training to generate systemic change within museums of all types and sizes. 

Museums for America - Supports museums of all sizes and disciplines in strategic, project-based efforts to serve the public. 

National Leadership Grants for Museums - Support projects that address critical needs of the museum field and that have the potential to advance practice in the profession to strengthen museum services for the American public. 

Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services - Support federally-recognized tribes and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians in sustaining heritage, culture, and knowledge.

Council on Library & Information Resources (US and Canada)

·    Digitizing Hidden Special Collections & Archives - 10/30/2024

National Historical Publications and Records Commission

·    Access to Historical Records Archival Projects - 11/07/2024

National Endowment for the Humanities

Public Humanities Projects Optional Draft - 12/04/2024, Final - 01/08/2025

Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions - 01/09/2025

Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections - 01/10/2025

PA MUSEUMS IN THE NEWS

The Valley Ledger reported that Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites has joined the Museum for All program.

The Senator John Heinz History Center is providing free admission to kids through November 30 according to CBS.

LancasterOnline interviewed Shawn Gladden, the new Site Administrator at Landis Valley.

WPXI shared that the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh is offering free admission for healthcare workers through October 31.

The Valley Ledger featured a new exhibit on sharks at Allentown's Da Vinci Science Center.

TribLive checked in with Bushy Run Battlefield's fundraising successes following a long closure earlier this year because of tornado damage.

The Patch highlighted an event in Bucks County recognizing Rosie The Riveters with Congressional Gold Medals.

The Museum of American Revolution made headlines for its programming on Indigenous People's Day and for a new artifact's coming into its collections.

RECOMMENDED

Harvard Art Museum launched a new program to attract more students to the institution.

Nonprofit Quarterly published One in five Nonprofit Workers Can't Afford Basic Expenses.

The IMLS is looking for reviewers for its upcoming grant cycles. Being a reviewer can be a very rewarding experience and grow your understanding of what separates a good grant application from a great one. Sign up by December 6.

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