Celebrating 100 Years
1910s
July 6, 1916
The Association of Art Museum Directors was founded.
1916
AAMD welcomed our first member museum from Canada.
1918
Cornelia B. Sage Quinton created AAMD's first salary survey.
1920s
1920
In 1920, the Association's annual dues were $5.00
1921
AAMD passed a resolution to protest a tariff on the importation of works of art.
1926
Directors formulated guidelines for what would become the first membership programs for museums.
1930s
1930
The Art Index was released.
1932
AAMD endorsed H.R. 12094, a bill to amend and consolidate the acts respecting copyright.
1934
Reviewed the work of the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP), for which nearly every museum director in the AAMD volunteered for.
1940s
1940s
Dozens of AAMD members served as "Monuments Men" in the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives section, working to identify, protect, and safeguard cultural treasures under threat during and after World War II.
1941
Passed a resolution promising to keep art museum doors open in times of war.
1947
Released first Canon of Ethics outlining ethical guidelines for directors and curators.
1948
AAMD approved a Reproduction and Reproduction Rights code specifying how each class of reproduction should be controlled at all art museums.
1950s
1954
AAMD elected its first female president, Grace L. McCann Morley, who was then the director of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
1960s
1960
AAMD protested against a political investigation of two artists.
1962
Published Reproductions and Reproduction Rights for Museum-Owned Objects.
1966
Adopted a formal Code of Ethics, revised from the original Canon of Ethics from 1947.
1968
AAMD helped the IRS establish an art advisory panel to regulate donations.
1969
AAMD officially incorporated; hired its first employee, Cecily B. Kerr; and doubled the frequency of its meetings from annual to semi-annually.
1969
AAMD was instrumental in resolving the issue of deductibility of donor contributions.
1970s
1971
Released the first issue of Professional Practices in Art Museums.
1971
AAMD hosted the first "Education in the Art Museum" conference.
1973
Created the position of Executive Director. Millicent (Mimi) Hall Gaudieri became the first Executive Director and led the Association for over 30 years.
1973
Passed a resolution to prevent illicit trafficking of cultural property.
1977
AAMD was awarded a grant by the Donner Foundation to study how directors are trained and to recommend improvements to the system.
1974
Published a Risk Management Manual for Museums.
1978
The AAMD Educational Foundation was created to accept charitable contributions for professional development, program sessions, and publishing purposes.
1979
AAMD membership unanimously approved the first Guidelines for Reproductions of Works of Art.
1980s
1980
Produced Fine Arts Insurance: A Handbook for Art Museums
1980
First Statistical Survey released, surveying each museum's financial and personnel concerns.
1985
Published in collaboration with AAM- Gifts of Property: A Guide for Donors and Museums.
1987
Released Considerations for Formulating a Policy for Deaccessioning and Disposal.
1986
AAMD's Statistical Survey and Salary became annualized.
1987
AAMD approved its first long-range plan with both long and short-term goals.
1987
Published Planning for Emergencies: A Guide for Museums.
1990s
1989
Formally began admitting non-collection institutions to active membership.
1990
Established First Amendment Fund to educate the public on first amendment issues that affect art museums.
1991
AAMD trustees added a clause to the Code of Ethics forbidding the practice of selling art to cover operating expenses.
1991
AAMD inserted a clause into Professional Practices in Art Museums forbidding the acquisition of stolen or illegally imported property.
1991
Mentoring system launched by AAMD's then president, Arnold Lehman.
1997
AAMD launched the Association's first website.
1992
Created the position of Director of Government Affairs as part of an agreement between the members of the American Arts Alliance.
1998
Released the Report of the AAMD Task Force on the Spoliation of Art during the Nazi/World War II Era (1933-1945),
2000s
2001
Began what would be the first of many professional development training seminars for museum directors.
2001
AAMD welcomed our first member museum from Mexico.
2002
Professional Practices in Art Museums underwent major revisions.
2006
AAMD launched its Object Registry.
2007
Released the Report on Art Museums and the Restitutions of Works Stolen by the Nazis.
2008
Released the New Report on Acquisition of Archaeological Materials and Ancient Art.
2008
AAMD upheld its deaccessioning guidelines with sanctions on the National Academy Museum.
2009
Released AAMD College and University Guidelines for Art on Campus
2010s
2010
Gathered AAMD members to celebrate first-ever Art Museum Day in concert with the International Council of Museums' (ICOM's) International Museum Day.
2013
AAMD launched a new website.
2013
AAMD partnered with the United Negro College Fund to pilot a nationwide program to foster diversity in the art museum field.
2014
Released the first Gender Gap in Art Museum Directorships Report
2014
Released first annual Art Museums by the Numbers report
2014
Released the first annual Next Practices publication.
2014
Professional Practices was released in Spanish and Chinese to make it available for a wider international audience.
2015
Partnered with the National Art Education Association (NAEA) to implement a large-scale study examining the impact of K-12 single-visit field trips.
2014
AAMD upheld its deaccessioning guidelines with sanctions on the Maier Museum and the Delaware Art Museum.
2015
Released AAMD Protocols for Safe Havens for Works of Cultural Significance from Countries in Crisis
Looking Ahead
AAMD will continue to generate its annual publications to advance member museums and support the larger art museum field. It will continue its grant programs, including the pilot program for UNCF Fellows, the Kress Provenance Research Fellowship, and the AAMD/Kress Fellowship at the Academy in Rome. It will continue to provide workshops and leadership development programs to support art museum directors and their staff.
In 2016, AAMD released:
