I, too, initially thought of the what is now called the National Association
of State Museum Associations, but their focus is on the issues facing
state-wide museum organizations, rather than the issues that face individual
"official" state museums.   The Field Services Alliance is also similar in
that it is comprised of organizations, very often part of state historical
societies or museums, that provide hands-on assistance and advice to museums
within their state or region. (BTW FSA can be contacted via Andy Verhoff at
the Ohio Historical Society, [log in to unmask]).

This sounds more like ACUMG (Association of College and University Museums
and Galleries)whose members also share the "challenges" of being part of a
college or university and governed by a Board of Trustees whose main
responsibility (and sometimes interest) is running an institution of higher
education and NOT a museum.  (For those interested in ACUMG membership
contact Lisa Hanover at the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at
Ursinus College, [log in to unmask])

(The following is shameless self-promotion):
One place a state museum organization might begin to organize (if there is
interest) is at a session at this year's AAM Meeting sponsored by the Small
Museum Administrators Committee (SMAC-AAM): "Do We Have A Board? Governance
in Non-Traditional Museums" scheduled for 2:15 on Sunday, May 18.
Panelists will include representatives of college, municipal and corporate
museums, all of which are part of larger (non-museum-focused) entities (and
yes, for more information on SMAC-AAM, contact me off-list).

I'd be interested in hearing what kind of response you get and would be glad
to hear more about it off-list.  You might also want to get in touch with
Beth Merritt at AAM ([log in to unmask]) who shares my interest in
"non-traditional" governance issues.

janice

Janice Klein
Chair, SMAC-AAM
Director, Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, Kendall College
[log in to unmask]
www.mitchellmuseum.org

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