I have worked with VAM for several years and have attended their conference as an Exhibitor. The Association is one of the most informed and helpful that I have worked with. Along with the Director & Staff everything is so well taken care. Information is accurate and quickly available. They provide an excellent service for their member Museums! I especially enjoy their imformative newsletters. In working with other Associations in other States I feel most comfortable with the way VAM operates and is set up.
The Virginia Association of Museums (VAM) serves the museum community in Virginia, DC and beyond. It has many programs to suit the seasoned professional as well as the volunteer just starting his/her career in museums. Besides a fabulous annual conference with multiple presenters, VAM offers regional workshops throughout the Commonwealth. These workshops offer a diversity of subjects including membership development, fund raising, strategic planning, board development, operations management, collections management, social networking and other relevant museum subject matter.
VAM's Certificate in Museum Management is second to none in preparing current and future museum leaders. Then there is the mentor program, emergency response task force, the TimeTravelers program and the IMLS Connecting to Collections program to train museum staff in proper collections management activities.
VAM has a small but very effective staff that serves the needs of the members, provides training opportunities and seeks to find new ways to keep museums moving forward.
In short, VAM is an effective advocate for museums and the people who staff them.