Introducing the Member Meetings Program - ACM's newest professional development service! Member Meetings provide ACM members with a vehicle in which to host professional development meetings, workshops, training sessions and regional gatherings that will benefit other ACM members and the children's museums field. Meetings are meant to be small and informal in nature. Read below on how your museum can take part in this exciting program. Download the application here.

What's involved with hosting an ACM Member Meeting?
Meetings are hosted by member institutions that are responsible for all aspects of meeting logistics and planning. The program encourages members to take a proactive role in creating professional development and networking opportunities within the field. All meeting participants pay a small registration fee (determined by the host museum) along with non-members that pay a non-member registration rate.

Why host an ACM Member Meeting?
Does your museum have a great program it has developed and would like to train others on how to develop their own? Do you work in a specific department at a museum and would like to connect with colleagues who do similar work at other museums? Or would you like to make greater connections with museums that are in your region, state or country? Whatever the reason may be, your museum has the opportunity to share and connect with the rest of the field to build stronger museums and a stronger network through Member Meetings. Best of all, because the registration fees are kept relatively low staff from all parts of your museum can attend and take advantage of targeted professional development.

What is an ACM Member Meeting like?
Since there is no set format or required content, your meeting can range from a professional development workshop, training session, symposia, panel discussion or even a brown bag lunch with colleagues that are in close proximity to the host museum. Members can also choose to co-host a meeting with both member or non-member institutions.

Regardless of the format, host museums are encouraged to create a meeting that promotes informal networking and information sharing between participants. Member Meetings are great way to get to know colleagues in the field and swap resources.

Want to host a Meeting? Here's how:
Review the ACM Member Meetings Guidelines to review the policies of the program. These guidelines will also provide interested museums with the structure of Member Meetings as well as tips on what to think about when planning.

Download, complete and submit the ACM Member Meetings Application to ACM with details and info about your meeting. Make sure that all application fields are complete. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Once ACM has received and approved your application, the museum can move ahead to create marketing and promotional materials. ACM will take these materials and send it through its various communication channels through email and print. Museums can also then begin planning logistics and content for the meeting. Host museums can use the Meeting Planning Check List to make sure that all details are in place in order to ensure a successful meeting.

For more information please email Chandi Rajakaruna or call 202-898-1080 x19.