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MUSEUMS IN TEXAS ARE AT A TIPPING POINT.
MUSEUMS IN TEXAS ARE AT A TIPPING POINT.
Across the state, museums face tough decisions about what they can offer and how they serve. With federal funding cuts and uncertain government support at all levels, it's harder than ever to do more with less.
That’s where Texas Museums Together comes in.
Texas Museums Together is a statewide initiative that empowers museums and supporters to speak out with one voice about why public investment in museums matters now more than ever. We focus on impacting your local community, complementing efforts at the federal level to enact national change.
When we share stories, insights, and impact, we strengthen our collective voice and build a stronger network of support. This initiative helps you stretch the muscle of collaboration, offering tools to connect with your community, engage local and state leaders, and build relationships at every level.
Our shared mission? To make clear that museums matter—to economic resilience, to creative and cultural expression, to learning and discovery, and to the future of our communities.
THE TOOLKIT: A SHARED MESSAGE, PERSONALIZED FOR YOUR MISSION
THE TOOLKIT: A SHARED MESSAGE, PERSONALIZED FOR YOUR MISSION
This toolkit gives you a unified framework to champion Texas museums while leaving room to speak from the heart about what makes your museum essential. It’s designed to help you build local support while addressing statewide urgency. We regularly update it to focus on “hot spots”—issues needing our most immediate attention.
Right now, resources speak to the most immediate challenge: the elimination of funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
Inside you’ll find:
Key talking points on the value of museums, backed by data
Background on IMLS and NEH funding with stories of impact
Templates for emails, letters, and meeting scripts
Guides for building relationships at all levels
Storytelling tips and templates to engage with local media
Every resource is customizable. We speak with one voice, but our individual stories make that voice powerful. Your story is what makes the message real.
BE ADAPTABLE, BUT STAY FOCUSED.
BE ADAPTABLE, BUT STAY FOCUSED.
Even when urgent issues come up, it’s important to keep the bigger picture in mind. Texas Museums Together is committed for the long haul to empower museums to work with purpose toward long-term progress. We adapt and respond to changing conditions, but we’re always guided by a consistent understanding of the value and need for museums.
Use Your Voice With Intention
Use Your Voice With Intention
When you're speaking up for your museum:
Stay consistent. When everyone on your team uses the same core messages, whether in media interviews, board meetings, or outreach, it reinforces the story you’re trying to tell.
Think about who you’re talking to. Your main points won’t change, but how you share them should fit what each audience cares about most.
Ground it in your reality. Highlight local programs, staff roles, partnerships, or visitor experiences that demonstrate what’s at stake and show why your museum’s work matters.
Keep it clear and conversational. Speak plainly, from the heart, and focus on why this matters for your community.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
Work Smarter, Not Harder
With only so many hours to dedicate to this work, choosing where to place your emphasis is critical. Know what time you can commit, and create a plan.
Make it a habit. Set aside time in your calendar each week (or even every two weeks) to send messages to community stakeholders.
Prioritize your immediate community. If you have time for four touches each week, make three of them local stakeholders. These relationships can be easier to strengthen on a shorter timeline, and local stakeholders can help to amplify your voice beyond your community—but not until they are in your corner themselves.
Track your connections. Keep a list of who you have contacted, who you want to, and what you’ve sent them. When you sit down for your weekly updates, you’re ready with a to-do list to get the work done efficiently.
Connect to the Big Picture
Connect to the Big Picture
Texas Museums Together focuses on helping institutions across the state speak with a collective voice to support local communities, but we’re part of a bigger picture. Organizations like the American Alliance of Museums and the American Association for State and Local History are working to unite voices at the national level.
The American Alliance for Museums provides Advocacy Alerts, resources and data, and ways to get involved, particularly at the federal level.
The American Association for State and Local History’s Advocacy and Leadership Initiatives connect institutions across the nation to key topics of particular interest to history practitioners.
501(c)(3)s: What You Can (and Can’t) Do
501(c)(3)s: What You Can (and Can’t) Do
Most museums operate as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, which can engage in advocacy, including talking to elected officials and the public, as long as it's not partisan and doesn't constitute a substantial portion of your activities.
You can:
Educate public officials about your museum’s impact
Share the importance of public funding (like IMLS or NEH)
Encourage your community to value and support cultural organizations
You cannot:
Endorse or oppose political candidates
Use government grant funds for lobbying activities
Want to dive in further? Check out this resource from the National Council of Nonprofits.
ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE STORY.
ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE STORY.
We need your input. Your stories, results, and needs give power to our collective message. The more we know, the stronger our case for public investment in museums. Right now, that piece is missing—and your voice can help fill the gap.
If you've used the tools on our website, we want to know what worked and what impact it had.
Are you looking for further support? What kind of tools, materials, or trainings would make this effort easier for you? Let us know!
We are the stewards of Texas stories, culture, and creativity. Together, we can raise our voices to protect the institutions that hold them.
Texas Museums Together helps museums engage communities, track field trends, and advocate for our shared future. We add new tools and resources all the time. Sign up to receive periodic updates and learn more.
As we ask you to help us build community, we want to make sure you know us too. If you ever want to talk more or learn more about what drove this effort, send Kate and Evan an email at hello@storyandreason.com.
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