2027 AAM Annual Meeting Scholarship
AAM 2027 Scholarship Program
The application period for all scholarships opens in December.
This professional development opportunity provides financial support for museum professionals and US-based students who have not previously attended an AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo and would otherwise be unable to afford the cost to attend.
About the Program
AAM’s 2027 Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo Scholarships Program is a professional development opportunity that provides complimentary registration and networking opportunities for museum professionals and US-based students to attend the AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo. The program is designed to nurture greater inclusivity – for the benefit of museums, museum professionals, and the diverse audiences they serve – by supporting professional development of individuals from underrepresented groups.
The application period closes on January 8, 2027. Applicants will be notified on, or before, January 5, 2027.
I had a wonderful time at AAM 2026. I learned new communications strategies, tips for workflow optimization, ways to collect and interpret performance data and more. I was able to ask questions in sessions and work together with speakers to decide how their industry advice would apply in my specific situations at my specific institution. Everyone I met, AAM staff, attendees, and speakers were friendly, curious, and eager to share information.
– Abigail Cornelia, Communications and Development Coordinator, Wagner Free Institute of Science and 2026 Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo Scholarship Recipient
Eligibility
Scholarship applications are open only for first-time AAM Annual Meeting attendees. In addition, applications are encouraged from individuals (members or non-members) at various stages of their careers who would not otherwise be able to afford the cost of attendance. The program is designed to nurture inclusive and equitable practices by providing an opportunity to attend the AAM Annual Meeting for those who have never attended previously.
Preference will be given to applicants who:
- Are early career museum professionals (less than 10 years’ experience in the museum field)
- Are new to the field museum professionals (those who have worked in other industries/sectors but have less than 5 years’ experience in the museum field)
- Those from small museums, ethnically or culturally specific institutions, specialized/single-topic museums, and/or museums located in rural communities
If you are selected to receive an AAM Annual Meeting Scholarship, you will receive:
- Complimentary registration to AAM’s Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo
- One year of AAM Individual Professional Membership*
- Tickets to select event(s) at the Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo
- One ticket to a pre-conference experiential workshop
*Current AAM Individual Professional Members will receive a one-year complimentary renewal on their current membership
AAM 2027 Scholarship Recipients will be required to:
- Participate in a pre-conference call
- Attend each day of the Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo
- Participate in educational and networking activities at the Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo
- Submit a post-conference survey (to take no longer than 30 minutes to complete)
Scholarship recipients are expected to follow any AAM 2027 guidelines provided by AAM before and throughout the conference.
How to Apply
The application period closes on January 8, 2027. Applicants will be notified on, or before, March 5, 2027.
To be considered for a scholarship, applicants must submit the following information with their application:
AAM 2027 will center on Mission. Value. Impact. Please prepare a single essay (no longer than 500 words) addressing the following questions:
- How has your work/experience(s) shaped your interest in the conference theme?
- How will your participation at the conference contribute to your personal growth?
- How will you plan to share knowledge from the conference in your work or academic studies?
Their resume/curriculum vitae (2-page limit)
Please note: All essays submitted must be original to the author. Submissions may not be generated by artificial intelligence. If the submission has been substantively assisted by artificial intelligence (including large language models or similar technologies), the applicant must disclose this use and provide appropriate attribution within the work. Failure to do so will result in the scholarship review committee rejecting the essay.
Questions? We’re happy to help! Contact Brianne Roth at broth[at]aam-us.org.
The American Alliance of Museums’ mission is to champion equitable and impactful museums by connecting people, fostering learning and community, and nurturing museum excellence.
