The American Alliance of Museums takes pride in recognizing outstanding individuals and organizations who have dedicated themselves to excellence within, and support of, the museum field.  Please note upcoming deadlines for multiple awards in late January & February.  

Excellence in Exhibition

Deadline: Jan. 31, 2014

Recognizes outstanding achievement in the exhibition format from all types of museums, zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens and any other types of noncommercial institutions offering exhibitions to the public. 

John Cotton Dana Award for Leadership 

Deadline: Feb. 10, 2014

Recognizes an individual, other than someone working directly with museum education programs, for efforts on behalf of public education and community service.

Excellence in Resources

Deadline: Feb. 10, 2014

The award for published resources recognizes outstanding resources in print or print/multimedia formats.

Excellence in Programming

Deadline: Feb. 10, 2014

This award recognizes exemplary creativity and innovation in museum educational programming.

Excellence in Practice

Deadline: Feb. 10, 2014

This award recognizes an individual who demonstrates exemplary service to the public through the practice of education in a museum.

Sustainability Excellence Award

Deadline: March 15, 2014

The purpose of this recognition program is to educate, facilitate, and encourage green practice and to acknowledge and celebrate leaders in environmental sustainability.

Muse Awards 

Deadline: April 1, 2014

Recognizes outstanding achievement in Galleries, Libraries, Archives or Museums (GLAM) media. Presented to institutions or independent producers who use digital media to enhance the GLAM experience and engage audiences, the Muse awards celebrate scholarship, community, innovation, creativity, education and inclusiveness.

Competitions

Publications Competition (Pub Comp)

The only national, juried competition of its kind, winners are chosen for their overall design excellence, creativity and ability to express an institution’s personality, mission or special features. 

Brooking Paper on Creativity in Museums

The Brooking competition recognized innovative accomplishments that produced new ways of thinking and seeing within the museum field. Papers described examples of creativity in any aspect of museum operations, from collections, programs and exhibitions to finance, marketing and administrationundefinedor anything in between.

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