Web Site Visits
AAM - American Association of Museums - www.aam-us.org
Founded in 1906, dedicated to promoting excellence within the museum community through advocacy, professional education, guidance and accreditation. More than:
- 11,500 individual members (museum professionals of all occupations and volunteers),
- 3,100 institutions - art, history, science, military and maritime, youth, aquariums, zoos, botanical gardens, arboretums, historic sites, and science and technology centers.
- 1,700 corporate members.
- 50 staff members
Representative of and advocate for museums:
- Professional education (Technical Information Services (sample forms and documents, Professional Practice Series, workshops); AAM Annual Meeting and MuseumExpo); Current Issues in Museums seminars, Publications, bookstore [great resource!], Museum News, AVISO
- Representation (Government and Public Affairs, Media PR, international representation at ICOM)
- Professional excellence (Accreditation and Museum Standards, Museum Assessment Program (MAP), Annual Museum Publications Design Competition, policy development such as Excellence and Equity)
- Access to a variety of services (insurance for directors and officers, exhibition and household moving service, credit card, discounts, express delivery service)
- International Programs (IPAM = International Partnership Among Museums)
- Standing Professional Committees - 12 areas, networks (curators, educators, audience research and evaluation, public relations and marketing, registrars, security, small museum administration, media and technology, development and membership, museum professional training, exhibition, and museum management). Help shape annual meeting programs, AAM publications.
ICOM - International Council of Museums - http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/icom/
ICOM is devoted to the promotion and development of museums and the museum profession at an international level. ICOM is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) maintaining formal relations with UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). It has a consultative status to the United Nations' Economic and Social Council.
ICOM was created in 1946 and has around 15,000 members in 147 countries. The membership participates in the activities of 116 National Committees and 25 International Committees. Some National Committees have also organized on a regional level to reinforce their action.
ICOM is a non-profit making organization whose funds come mainly from membership subscriptions. It receives support from UNESCO's program activity for museums and from public and private funds.
Publishes Museum; sponsors international Museum Day
Key words: Cultural property, preservation and protection, international
(site provides detailed history since 1946)