Alberta Museums Association

What Alberta Museums Association does

The Alberta Museums Association (AMA) is a non-profit society and registered charity (No. 106693864 RR0001) founded in 1971 and headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, on Treaty 6 territory. It is the only provincial organization in Alberta dedicated exclusively to supporting and representing museums and museum professionals, serving over 200 Institutional Members (museums and galleries), 250+ Individual Members (museum professionals), and overseeing a network of more than 100 Recognized Museums. The organization is led by an elected volunteer Board, an Executive Director, and a small Secretariat of approximately 22 staff.

The AMA's product and service portfolio spans accreditation, grants, professional development, publications, advocacy, and digital engagement. Core offerings include the Recognized Museum Program (including the Leader designation), the Certificate in Museum Studies program (currently oversubscribed), revised Grants and Bursary Programs (Operational Staffing Grants, Institutional Grants, and the new Knowledge Development Bursary Program launched for 2025-2026), award-winning publications (Standard Practices Handbook for Museums, 3rd Edition, and HELP! An Emergency Preparedness Manual for Museums, 2nd Edition), the Museums @ the Mic podcast, the quarterly INFOrm e-magazine, the Community Engagement Initiative blog, the Climate Action for Museums Toolkit (developed with Green Economy Canada), the Mentorship Program, the Grants Juror program, and the annual Adaptable Museum Conference (marking the 55th anniversary in 2026). The organization also maintains a member-only portal, online bookstore, and the MAIN-L email discussion list reaching over 950 museum professionals.

The AMA generates revenue through a diversified mix of membership dues (Institutional, Individual, Student/Volunteer, and Supporting tiers), bookstore and publication sales (member and non-member pricing), professional development fees (Certificate in Museum Studies courses priced at $125-$300), donations (including support for the Robert R. Janes Award for Social Responsibility), and pass-through grant funding from the Government of Alberta and Government of Canada. The organization is accredited under Imagine Canada's Standards Program and certified as an Alberta Living Wage Employer. Annual revenue is not publicly disclosed; the 2024-2025 Financial Statements are referenced but not detailed in available source material.

Name

Alberta Museums Association

Legal name

Alberta Museums Association

Website

https://museums.ab.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Alberta Museums Association is a 1971-founded non-profit society in Edmonton serving Alberta's 200+ Institutional and 250+ Individual museum members through accreditation, grants, professional development, publications, advocacy, and the Recognized Museum Program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Heritage Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

Keywords

• Museum association services
• Professional development programs
• Grant funding administration
• Museum accreditation programs
• Cultural heritage advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The AMA generates revenue through various membership categories including Individual Membership, Institutional Membership, Student/Volunteer Membership, and Supporting Membership. The membership drives the organization and provides access to grants, professional development, and member-only resources.
2. Bookstore Sales: Sale of publications including the Standard Practices Handbook, HELP! Emergency Preparedness Manual, Health & Safety Toolkits, and bundle packs through the online bookstore
3. Professional Development Programs: Revenue from Certificate in Museum Studies program and learning opportunities including workshops and courses
4. Grants to Members: The AMA distributes grants to Institutional Members including Operational Staffing Grants, Institutional Grants, and the new Knowledge Development Bursary Program
5. Donations: The AMA is a registered charity (No. 106693864 RR0001) accepting donations for general funding, the Knowledge Development Bursary, or the Robert R. Janes Award for Social Responsibility
6. MAIN-L Email Discussion List: Email discussion list serving as a source of information and forum for discussion, reaching over 950 museum professionals

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

The Alberta Museums Association (AMA) is a non-profit membership organization that provides professional development, grant funding, advocacy, accreditation, and resource publication services to museums and museum professionals across Alberta. Its core offerings include institutional and individual membership tiers, the Recognized Museum accreditation program, the Certificate in Museum Studies professional development program, grants and bursary administration, annual conferences, and award-winning publications such as the Standard Practices Handbook and HELP! Emergency Preparedness Manual.

Product overview

The Alberta Museums Association (AMA) is a non-profit membership organization founded in 1971 that serves Alberta's museum community. It is not a software product company but rather provides professional development, advocacy, and support services. The AMA's offerings include award-winning publications (the Standard Practices Handbook for Museums and HELP! Emergency Preparedness Manual), the Certificate in Museum Studies professional development program, grants and bursary funding programs, the Recognized Museum accreditation program, annual conferences, awards programs, mentorship opportunities, and digital engagement resources including the Museums @ the Mic podcast and INFOrm e-magazine. Additional offerings include the Climate Action for Museums Toolkit and Climate Change Videos created in partnership with Green Economy Canada, the Health & Safety Toolkits for reopening support, and the Grants Juror program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HELP! An Emergency Preparedness Manual for Museums, 2nd Edition An over-300-page award-winning reference book providing expert, up-to-date guidance on emergency preparedness planning and response for museums and collecting organizations.
• Standard Practices Handbook for Museums, 3rd Edition An award-winning reference book that outlines standards of museum practice and implementation guidance across seven areas: Museums and Society, Governance and Operations, Collections Management, Conservation, Research, Programming, and Exhibits.
• Museum Practice Bundle Pack A bundled package offering the Standard Practices Handbook for Museums (3rd Edition) and HELP! An Emergency Preparedness Manual (2nd Edition) at up to 20% savings.
• Health & Safety Toolkits Physical and digital resources including signage (welcome signs, directional arrows, distancing markers, capacity signs, hand sanitizer signs), customizable templates, and print-ready digital files to support safe museum operations.
• Climate Action for Museums Toolkit A resource created in collaboration with Green Economy Canada providing information on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, climate action case studies from Canadian museums, and practical instructions for emissions assessment and action planning.
• Certificate in Museum Studies Program A certificate program providing comprehensive museum education and professional development for museum professionals, delivered through a self-paced module-based course with virtual meetings.
• Grants and Bursary Program A revised grants program providing funding support to AMA institutional members, including the Operational Staffing Grant, Institutional Grant, and the new Knowledge Development Bursary Program.
• Recognized Museum Program A program recognizing museums that meet best practice standards in public trust, public service, and sustainability, with a Leader designation for institutions demonstrating exceptional commitment.
• Annual Conference The AMA's flagship annual conference bringing together museum professionals for learning, networking, and sector development; the 2026 Adaptable Museum Conference in Edmonton marks AMA's 55th anniversary.
• Awards Program Recognition program including Leadership Awards and the Robert R. Janes Award for Social Responsibility, which awards $3,000 to recipients to investigate drivers for success and host workshops for other institutions.
• Mentorship Program A program connecting museum professionals at different career stages and from different institutions across Alberta to build networks, skills development, and support the next generation of museum workers.
• INFOrm E-Magazine The AMA's quarterly e-magazine designed to share best practices, foster collaboration between Alberta museum professionals, and highlight vital work museums are doing to create vibrant, engaged, and connected communities.

Named customers13 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Imagine CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImagine Canada provides the Standards Program accreditation for charities and non-profits, helping strengthen AMA's operations in board governance, financial accountability, fundraising, staff management, and volunteer involvement.
• Alberta Living Wage NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlberta Living Wage Network certifies the AMA as a living wage employer, supporting fair and equitable wages across the museum sector.
• Green Economy CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through the Corporate Climate Leaders Program (CCLP) offered in partnership with Green Economy Canada. AMA has joined CCLP to better understand and manage GHG emissions and develop climate solutions, and extends this partnership to provide tools and resources for museums across the province.
• Pembina InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMA partnered with the Pembina Institute and award-winning Canadian artists to co-produce 'Change is in the Air' - a satire created to activate discussion around climate change, premiered at the AMA 2018 Annual Conference.
• Coalition of Museums for Climate JusticemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMA partnered with the Coalition of Museums for Climate Justice and Shadow Light Productions Ltd to create the five-part 'Taking Action on Climate Change' video series demonstrating how museums facilitate conversations on climate issues.
• Shadow Light Productions LtdmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProduction partner for video series including climate change videos for the AMA and videos for Fort Normaleau, Claresholm Museum Society, Heritage Acres Farm Museum, and Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village.
• Pilot Museums for Climate Action ToolkitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMA partnered with pilot museums in the Edmonton area including Alberta Aviation Museum, Art Gallery of Alberta, Musée Héritage Museum, Strathcona County Museum, and TELUS World of Science - Edmonton for workshops and toolkit development.
• Canadian Museum of HistoryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSocial event sponsor for the 2021 Conference Series, providing the 'Cooking for Victory' social event inspired by content from their travelling exhibition.
• Canadian War MuseumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSocial event sponsor for the 2021 Conference Series, providing the 'Cooking for Victory' social event inspired by their travelling exhibition 'World War Women'.
• On This SpotmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerConference Series Sponsor, Keynote Sponsor, and Social Event Sponsor for the 2021 Conference Series, providing then-and-now photography presentations.
• AUMA (Alberta Urban Municipalities Association)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerKeynote Sponsor for the September 2021 Conference Event.
• HATLIEmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerKeynote Sponsor for the June 2021 Conference Event featuring conversation with Secretary Lonnie Bunch.
• WestbowminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSocial Event Sponsor for the November 2021 Conference Event.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Heritage Saskatchewan: Provincial heritage advocacy body in Saskatchewan serving museums and heritage practitioners. Adjacent peer with comparable mission and provincial scope, operating in a western Canadian sister jurisdiction.
• Museums Association (UK): UK membership organization for museums and heritage sites with its own accreditation scheme and publications. Closest international analogue to the AMA's standards-based, member-driven model.
• Museums Galleries Australia: National peak body for the Australian museum sector providing advocacy, professional development, and standards. Comparable member-driven association model but operating in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• American Alliance of Museums: The largest US museum association offering accreditation, advocacy, and professional development. Broader in scope and scale, but operates the same membership-and-accreditation model as the AMA.
• Association of Art Museum Directors: US-based association for art museum directors providing advocacy, leadership programs, and professional standards. Adjacent to the AMA's membership-and-standards model but focused on art museums.
• American Association for State and Local History: US-based association serving history organizations and museums with accreditation, training, and publications. Comparable mission and programming mix to the AMA at a larger US footprint.
• Canadian Museums Association: National Canadian museum association providing advocacy, publications, and professional development for museums across Canada. Directly comparable as a membership-based organization serving museums, but at a national rather than provincial scope.

Direct peers

• Ontario Museum Association: Provincial museum association serving Ontario museums with grants, professional development, and accreditation. The most direct functional peer to the AMA in scope and operating model.
• British Columbia Museums Association: Provincial museum association in BC providing advocacy, training, and resources to BC museums and workers. Highly comparable provincial association model with similar membership tiers and programming.

Others

• Alliance of Canadian Museums (CMC federated network): Network of Canadian provincial and territorial museum associations federated through the Canadian Museums Association. Indirectly comparable as part of the same ecosystem the AMA operates within.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AlbertaMuseums
• Facebookfacebook.com/AlbertaMuseumsAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alberta-museums-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/albertamuseums

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alberta Museums Association