Help Decorate Your Legislators' Offices!

Museums Advocacy Day 2009 is just five weeks away and there's plenty we can all do to start getting prepared for effective visits with our Members of Congress. Here are a couple of ideas for how to break the ice with your legislators and their staff members.

Bring a Piece of Your Museum With You

There are many new Members of Congress taking office in the nation's Capitol this January - and many returning Members of Congress are settling into new office space for the new session of Congress. There is no better way for Members of Congress to personalize their offices than with mementos that highlight the communities they represent. Do you have a poster from your museums or from a recent exhibition? Can you make a large copy of a map of what your city or town looked like in the past? Can you bring pictures of the historic figures from your communities? Replicas of historic sites or figurines of the beloved animals living at the local zoo? Representing the state and district is part of every legislator's job here in Washington , DC and anything you can do to help provide a daily and educational reminder of the places back home is helpful and appreciated. You can also rest assured that these types of items are allowed under the House and Senate gift and ethics rules, which make various exceptions for items of promotional and informational value, items from the "home-state" and commemorative items of nominal monetary value, such as posters, figurines and other items. Please call us at 202-218-7703 for additional information about House gift rules and Senate ethics rules.

Do you have other creative ideas for what you might bring with you or what you've shared with legislators in the past? Let us know! Email efarber@aam-us.org to share your ideas and experience.

Learn About Your Legislators Before You Get to Washington , DC

The idea of meeting with members of Congress and their staff members can be intimidating, but remember legislators are people too! They have interesting and diverse backgrounds that led them to public service, many times with roots back in your community. Every legislator has a personal story to tell that shapes their approach to their work in office. Staff take pride in their ability to be an extension of their bosses' interests and legislative goals and will also appreciate any knowledge of your legislators' history that you can bring to the table. Finding information about your legislators may be easier than you think. Do a Google or Google News search, scan through local and national newspapers, and check out your Members' websites. There is a wealth of information readily available. You are looking for past political and public service experience, hometowns, where they were educated, events they have attended, groups they have aligned themselves with in the past, speeches and public comments they have made, and the personal interests and life experiences that have marked them and their work in some way.

Click here to identify your legislators and their websites today!

Have you made your hotel reservations for Museums Advocacy Day yet? Hurry! AAM's special rate at the Washington Marriott is available until January 26, 2009.

Visit www.speakupformuseums.org/MuseumAdvocacyDay.htm to learn more.