The U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services has announced the recipients of nearly $30 million in its largest competitive grants program, Museums for America, and its two special initiatives, Museums Empowered and Inspire! Grants for Small Museums. Included are 42 ASTC-member institutions who have received 45 awards for a total of more than $7.3 million.
Five ASTC members will receive more than $2.1 million from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, among the 17 organizations receiving fiscal year (FY) 2021 National Leadership Grants for Museums. In total, 15 projects were selected from 74 applications to share almost $6.4 million in Federal grants, which are supplemented by more than …
IMLS awards 2021 National Leadership Grants for Museums Read More »
ASTC joined with our fellow museums associations to call for including museums in infrastructure legislation. In a letter sent to the bipartisan House and Senate leadership earlier this month, the associations argued that our members’ institutions have infrastructure needs that align with the goals of the emerging Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework while our museums are key …
ASTC calls for including museums in infrastructure investments Read More »
Congratulations to the Mississippi Children’s Museum (Jackson, Mississippi) for being named as one of six recipients of the 2021 National Medal for Museum and Library Service! This award, which is bestowed by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), is considered the nation’s highest honor given to libraries and museums that make significant …
ASTC’s President and CEO, Christofer Nelson, has expressed thanks to the Chair and Ranking Member of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and its Subcommittee on Research and Technology for their recent introduction of the National Science Foundation for the Future Act. As described in a previous blog post, this …
Earlier today, a new Smithsonian-led nationwide initiative was launched to activate museums, libraries, and other cultural institutions in supporting efforts to provide Americans with accessible and trustworthy resources related to COVID-19 vaccination: “Vaccines & US: Cultural Organizations for Community Health.” The new VaccinesAndUS.org website includes free resources that cultural organizations can use to help their …
Smithsonian-led Vaccines & US Initiative launches Read More »
The U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has announced $24 million in grants for 225 humanities projects across the country, including four awards worth nearly $1 million to ASTC member institutions. The announcement includes grants in a number of areas, including the preservation of historical and cultural collections, the creation of exhibitions and public …
ASTC members receive nearly $1 million from National Endowment for the Humanities Read More »
The U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has released details of a new funding program as a result of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. These emergency relief grants will provide direct grants to individual institutions, designed to help the humanities community—broadly defined—recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. (A separate …
National Endowment for the Humanities offers emergency relief grants Read More »
Last week, the Chair and Ranking Member of the United States House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and its Research and Technology Subcommittee introduced the National Science Foundation for the Future Act. This bipartisan legislation from committee Chair Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK), subcommittee Chair Haley Stevens (D-MI), and Ranking …
Five ASTC members have been announced as finalists for the 2021 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. Awarded by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the National Medal is the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries that demonstrate excellence in service to their communities. In the past 15 years, …
ASTC members named finalists for National Medal for Museum and Library Service Read More »
Later today, the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to approve the version of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 which recently passed the Senate on a party-line vote. House approval will send the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 recovery bill for President Biden’s signature. While much of the media has focused on the direct payments …
American Rescue Plan includes provisions helpful for museums Read More »
ASTC-member organizations received more than $225 million in first-round PPP loans.
Last week, the Mass Cultural Council announced the recipients of its Cultural Organization Economic Recovery Grant Program. The program is part of Massachusetts’ economic recovery plan in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a release, Karyn Polito, Lt. Governor of the state, said “these grants will bring relief to many of our cultural institutions …
Three ASTC members receive $100k COVID relief grants from the Mass Cultural Council Read More »
Christofer Nelson, ASTC’s President and CEO released the following statement: On January 6, we saw a frightening display of attempted mob rule at the United States Capitol Building. As Members of Congress were certifying the results of a free and fair election with an unambiguous outcome, violent extremists were engaged in an unprecedented attack on …
Statement from ASTC’s President and CEO Read More »
ASTC is reading through the text of the almost 5,600-page omnibus spending and COVID relief bill for provisions relevant to the ASTC community. This is the third in a series of blog posts about the legislation in which we highlight other COVID relief provisions beyond changes to the Paycheck Protection Program including the opportunity for …
Additional provisions in the December COVID relief and appropriations bill Read More »
The massive COVID relief and omnibus spending bill passed by the U.S. House and Senate yesterday includes a new grant program for “shuttered venue operators” that includes museums along with other live venues.
ASTC is reading through the text of the almost 5,600-page omnibus spending and COVID relief bill for provisions relevant to the ASTC community. This is the first in a series of blog posts about the legislation in which we highlight changes to the Paycheck Protection Program. Please also see another post discussing the new Grants …
Congress poised to extend Paycheck Protection Program and allow second draw Read More »
Two ASTC member institutions have received grants from the U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). They are among 213 projects supported by $32.8 million in grants and fellowships from this independent federal agency established in 1965. Although NEH generally supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities, science-based …
Two ASTC members earn grants from National Endowment for the Humanities Read More »
Members of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) that have reopened to the public after closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic have seen visitor attendance that is down 74 percent from the same time period in 2019. This is one example of the sobering information shared in a recent ASTC report detailing the …
Science center visits down almost 75% from 2019, but slowly increase after reopening Read More »
A new report from the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) estimates that ASTC museum members around the world have lost more than $600 million in revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, almost overnight, every one of the ASTC’s nearly 500 member science and technology centers and museums closed their doors to …
Science centers have lost more than $600 million in revenue due to the pandemic Read More »