As of January 28, 2020, art museums seeking membership in AAMD must have an annual operating budget of $2 million or higher.

To apply for membership in AAMD, please send a letter expressing the desire to become a member of AAMD, along with your CV, to Stephanie Yao, Program Manager, at syao@aamd.org. Once the letter is received:

• If you are a director of an institution that has either not previously been a member of AAMD before, or that has not been a member within the last three years, you will receive a link to complete a pre-application form, which will be used to determine an applicant’s readiness for membership. Within three weeks of submitting the pre-application form, you will be notified by an AAMD staff member about the next steps in the process.
• If your institution has been a member of AAMD within the last three years, you will receive an email confirmation and a formal application form in the next available cycle. The current wait time for an application is one year.
• Priority is given to new directors of institutions that have been in AAMD before.
• Prior institutional membership within AAMD does not guarantee continued membership.

TIMELINE

All applications will be sent out in the order in which the request is received. AAMD’s Membership Committee reviews applications three times a year (typically January, April, and October). The Membership Committee forwards its approved applications to AAMD’s Board of Trustees, which also meets three times a year, to make the final decision. You will be notified once the Board of Trustees has made their decision.  Currently, the wait to receive an application is one year from the time AAMD receives a letter of interest. 

• AAMD staff will respond to initial letters of inquiry as quickly as possible, typically within one week of receiving your letter.
• Pre-application forms will be reviewed within 3 weeks from the date they are submitted.
• Applicants are given 6-8 weeks to complete a full application package. Applications that are submitted past the given deadline may be held for the subsequent review cycle. That includes recommendation letters that are received past the due date.
• Once the application is submitted, it typically takes 4-6 weeks for review, first by the Membership Committee and then by the Board of Trustees. Applicants will be notified within two weeks following the Board of Trustees decision.