RESOURCES
If you're an Alabama museum, and you need something, chances are you can find it here. Conservation, councils, and calendars. We've got it all.
Ok, chances are that we don't technically have it all. If you have a link or statistic you'd like to submit for inclusion in these lists, we'd love to hear from you.
Links Calendars Conservation Grants Marketing/PR Security Statistics
LINKS
Alabama History
Alabama Department of Archives and History (ADAH)
Dynamite Alabama history web site
www.archives.state.al.us
Historic Chattahoochee Commission
www.hcc-al-ga.org
Associations and Councils
American Association of Museums (AAM)
Large and well-connected site
www.aam-us.org
American Association of State and Local History
www.aaslh.org
The Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums
www.alhfam.org
International Council of Museums (ICOM)
www.icom.museum
Southeastern Museums Association (SEMC)
Membership organization that serves 12 states throughout the Southeast, including Alabama
www.SEMCdirect.net
CALENDARS
National Arts and Disability Center
The NADC promotes the full inclusion of artists and audiences with disabilities into all facets of the arts community. Their calendar is a free public service for any arts event, class, workshop, or conference that is accessible to individuals with disabilities and/or features the work of an artist or performer with a disability.
nadc.ucla.edu/calendar.cfm
Birmingham News
The "Events and Entertainment Calendar" is a free service offered each Wednesday in The Birmingham News. Email details to swright@bhamnews.com two weeks before desired publication date.
Mobile Press-Register
"Sunday to Sunday" is a calendar feature of the Baldwin Register. It is published each Sunday, filled with things to do in our area in the coming week. Email details to baldwin@press-register.com before each Wednesday at 4pm.
CONSERVATION
Conservation OnLine
Full text library of conservation information, covering a wide spectrum of topics of interest to those involved with the conservation of library, archives, and museum materials
palimpsest.stanford.edu
GRANTS
Alabama Historical Commission (AHC)
Source of advice and grants for preservation and archaeology-based projects
www.preserveala.org
Alabama Humanities Foundation (AHF)
Source of many grants for humanities-based projects
www.ahf.net
The Alabama State Council on the Arts (ASCA)
Good source of arts grants and assistance
www.arts.state.al.us
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
Independent grant-making agency of the federal government
www.imls.gov
MARKETING/PR
Museum Marketing Tips
Great tips, ideas, and articles for reaching new audiences, generating publicity, and more.
www.museummarketingtips.com
SECURITY
Museum Security Network
G.B. Quinney (Birmingham Museum of Art Security Director) recommended this site. Breaking news on stolen works, vandalism, stories focusing on museum security. Subscribe to receive up-to-the-minute news delivered via e-mail.
www.museum-security.org/indexdefinitief.html
STATISTICS
Museums are everywhere in America.
- There are approximately 15,000 museums in the United States.
- 75% are small museums.
- 43% are situated in rural areas.
- Nine out of ten counties have at least one museum.
- There is one museum for every 16,500 Americans.
- 944 museums, including 184 zoos, have achieved professional accreditation.
- $4.3 billion will be spent on museum infrastructure in 1998-2000 and 150 museums will be built or expanded in that same period.
Museums are popular.
- American museums average approximately 865 million visits per year or 2.3 million visits per day.
- This number reflects a 50% increase over a decade ago.
- 36% of all travelers will visit a museum.
- In children's museums, visits grew from 9 million in 1996 to more than 22 million in 1998.
- A 1996 survey showed that museums rank in the top three family vacation destinations.
- A 1999 study showed that Americans from all income and education ranges visit and value museums.
Museums are a bargain.
- Over half (56.6%) of museums are free to the public.
- Of those museums that do charge, 58.7% have free days.
- The median museum admission for a family of four is $11.
- 72% of museums associated with public schools and colleges do not charge admission.
- Only 20.5% of museums' earned income is derived from general admission fees.
- The median membership fee for individuals is $15 and for families, $25.
- One American in 28 is a museum member.
Museum exhibits and programs offer life-long learning.
- 88% of museums offer programs for K-12 students.
- In 1997, museums spent $194 million on student programs and provided 3.9 million instructional hours to schools.
- 83% of science museums offer teacher education workshops in museums.
- Children's museums outreach programs served over 3 million people in 1998.
Museums protect our natural and cultural heritage.
- Museums care for over 750 million objects and living specimens.
- 93% of all museums have permanent collections.
- After their families, Americans ranked authentic artifacts in history museum and historic sites most significant in creating a strong connection to the past.
- Zoos and aquariums invest $51 million in scientific research each year.
- 16% of museums have a specific ethnic or cultural focus in their collection.
Museums are good business.
- For every 50¢ of public money invested, museums generate $1 in private support.
- Tourists who visit museums spend nearly twice as much on their travel as those who do not.
- In 4 _ months in 1996, the exhibit "Imperial Tombs of China" at the Portland (OR) Art Museum injected $92.3 million into the state economy.
- Tourists spent $320 million in 1992-1997 directly related to the six historic house museums of the Historic Hudson Valley (NY).
- In 1994 along, Utah museums generated an additional $5.97 million in household earnings and nearly $500,000 in state taxes.
Americans know what museums do for their community and want to help.
- For every paid staff member, 2.5 people volunteer their time and services to museums.
- 50,000 people contributed 2.3 million volunteer hours to botanical gardens and arboretums in 1997.
- 55,000 more contributed 3.2 million hours to science centers.
- 58,000 volunteers invest over 3 million hours of time in zoos and aquariums.
- Without volunteers, the museums in Utah alone would need $5 million more a year for programs for school children.
- Of Americans age 18 and older, one in 480 is a museum volunteer.
Museum Types Ranked by Average Attendance, 1999
- Natural History/Science (243,913)
- Living Collections (238,816)
- Art (140,724)
- History (96,774)
- Specialized (94,262)
- Children's (72,568)
- Historic Houses/Sites (60,314)
Source: American Association of Museums
The
AMA is developing and promoting the significance of the museum community in the state of
Alabama.