This assessment of American museums focuses on why museums are important to our culture, what they can contribute to the quality of human experience, and their overall purpose. Leaders in the museum community explore and identify trends affecting the future of museums and describe the opportunities and responsibilities facing museums in the 21st century.

Museums for a New Century: A Report of the Commission on Museums for a New Century

Business & Money

American Alliance of Museums

Industries

American Alliance Of Museums

Continuing donations of appreciated property to museums has become increasingly difficult amid constant tax reform. This booklet highlights the 1984 Tax Reform Act, the last significant change in valuation requirements, and covers requirements for donors and museums as recipients. It includes IRS Tax Forms 8282 and 8283. Updated with information on recent tax changes, including the 1993 change regarding appreciated property.

Gifts of Property: A Guide for Donors and Museums

Finance

American Alliance of Museums Press

Finally! Standards for signs and labels that address the needs of wheelchair users and the visually impaired visitor. Copious photographs, diagrams, and sample labels for orientation signs, directional signs, and gallery labels demonstrate that what makes a label accessible also makes it more effective for all museum visitors. The manual also provides standards for typesize, contrast, and installation, as well as a glossary.

Standards Manual for Signs and Labels

Arts & Photography

Graphic Design

Museum Studies Programs: Guide to Evaluation provides prospective students with the necessary tools to conduct their own individually tailored analysis of how well a museum studies program will meet their particular needs. It is also designed to provide museum studies programs with solid guidelines for self-assessment and peer review.

Museum Studies Programs: Guide to Evaluation

What your visitors think is important! This collection of articles explains how visitor studies can influence and improve museum exhibits, program planning, and services. In simple language, the articles cover different kinds of evaluation, from "front-end" to "summative," and discuss how to convince decision makers of the merits of conducting evaluation. The articles are supplemented with practical case studies that demonstrate the benefits of evaluation in museums, and lists of reading materials, organizations, and resources.

Introduction to Museum Evaluation

A useful resource in preparing for a job interview, career planning, or writing position descriptions, this book explains the world of museum work and professional opportunities in museums. It includes suggested educational qualifications and experience for specific positions, information on how to obtain an internship, definitions of museum terms, a list of job placement resources, and an annotated bibliography. 

Careers in Museums: A Variety of Vocations

Job Hunting & Careers

Are you concerned about providing visitors with the best overall experience possible? This manual can help museum staff make a case for visitor services, understand and meet the needs of visitors, plan and staff visitor services, train staff, and evaluate services. More than 25 museum leaders contributed their knowledge and experience to make this manual the most complete resource for museum visitor services today. Includes professional standards, a sample staff handbook, and position descriptions.

Museum Visitor Services Manual (Professional Practice Series)

Reference

This handbook includes the latest version of the "Guidelines Concerning Unlawful Appropriation of Objects During the Nazi Era" and examples of museum policy and procedures that address the Guidelines. In addition, it includes the proscribed material museums need to make public. Museums will learn how to provide access to that information through AAM's Nazi-era Provenance Internet Portal.

Museum Policy and Procedure for Nazi-era Issues

Collections, Catalogs & Exhibitions

This call to action from AAM's Museums and Community Initiative challenges museums to pursue their potential as active, visible players in community life. An opening essay urges museums to reinvigorate their civic role and purposes and offers guideposts for inquiry and transformation. Other essays and reflections—from museum professionals and community practitioners—offer food for thought on the complex process of changing the terms of engagement between communities and museums.

Mastering Civic Engagement: A Challenge to Museums

This toolkit is designed to help museums plan successful museum-community dialogues. It includes helpful hints, logistical tips, and sample documents for organizing a structured and creative conversation among people involved in the day-to-day business of building community.

A Museums and Community Toolkit

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Books by American Alliance of Museums