ARM 2010 Conference Erik G. Ledbetter Heritage Management Solutions

Your Mission— Should You Choose to Accept It Answer one key question… SO WHAT?

Unpacking the Key Question Why do museums matter? Why does YOUR museum matter?

Why Museums Matter Museums: Serve the Public are Trustworthy are Popular Partner with Schools Educate our Communities are Economic Engines

Museums Serve the Public Museums and their volunteers work every day to educate and engage our community and preserve our cultural heritage. Our museum provides this service with NO OPERATING SUBSIDY from the Federal or State government. We provide this service year in and year out with private time and money.

Museums are Trustworthy Americans view museums as one of the most important resources for educating our children and as one of the most trustworthy sources of objective information. In 2001, 38% of Americans cited museums as among the most trustworthy sources of information while 87% stated they are trustworthy overall. According to a study by Indiana University, museums are considered a more reliable source of historical information than books, teachers, or even personal accounts by grandparents or other relatives.

Museums are Popular Americans from all income and education ranges visit museums. There are 850 million visits per year to American museums, more than the attendance for all professional sporting events and theme parks combined (478 million in 2006).

Museums Partner with Schools According to a 2006 IMLS Study, True Needs True Partners: Museums Serving Schools, museums spend more than $1 billion annually on educational programming. Museums receive more than 90 million visits each year from students in school groups (IMLS study). Each year, museums provide more than 18 million instructional hours for educational programs (IMLS study).

Museums Educate our Community People of all ages and backgrounds come to transportation museums to learn how the freedom to move shaped American life. Children find in railroad museums the spark that inspires them to study history, technology, and engineering. Railroad museums are living museums where visitors touch, ride, experience and explore. Through railroad museums, visitors make tangible connections to our industrial heritage regardless of their ages, the size of their communities, or their economic and ethnic backgrounds.

Museums are Economic Engines U.S. museums spend more than $14.5 billion a year, encouraging economic growth in their communities (AAM estimate). Museums rank among the top three family vacation destinations. Trips including cultural and heritage activities comprise one of the most popular and significant segments of the travel industry, accounting for over 23% of all domestic trips (U.S. Travel Association). Visitors to historic sites and cultural attractions, including museums, stay 53% longer and spend 36% more money than other kinds of tourists (U.S. Travel Association). At least 22% of museums-- including a great many transportation museums-- are located in rural areas, where they serve as engines of economic development. Railroad museums in particular are leading drivers of heritage tourism in both urban industrial neighborhoods and rural communities.

Now-The Ask Answer one more key question… WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?

Three Key Asks for Transportation Museums Retain and fund “Transportation Enhancements” (TE) Program in next intermodal transportation bill Retain and Fund “Save America’s Treasures” (SAT) Defeat future “Coburn Amendments”

Transportation Enhancements Since its inception in 1991, TE has represented the single largest infusion of capital funding for railroad preservation in our 80-year history. TE has supported 253 major projects, infusing a total of $17,150,221 into railway preservation. Local matching funds increase the total impact of this line item to over $20 million. The intangible value of Federal endorsement of railroad heritage as a vital part of the nation's museum infrastructure is incalculable.

Transportation Enhancements Through railroad heritage projects are funded under several categories of eligibility within the TE program, the lion's share has been Category 12--"Establishment of Transportation Museums".

THE ASK Retain the TE program in the next intermodal transportation bill Retain the current funding formula Retain “Category 12”

Save America’s Treasures Save America's Treasures grants are available for preservation and/or conservation work on nationally significant intellectual and cultural artifacts and nationally significant historic structures and sites. Grants are awarded through a competitive process to eligible applicants. A dollar-for-dollar, non-Federal match is required. SAT grants have invested $9.5 million in railroad preservation since 1999.

Save America’s Treasures President Obama proposed eliminating the SAT program in his FY 2011 budget.

THE ASK Please restore funding for Save America’s Treasures to the FY 2010 level of $25 million as you move forward in developing your spending bills for FY 2011.

“Coburn Amendments” Floor amendments targeting museum funding offered by Sen. Coburn (R-OK) to appropriations bills. Early 2009: Amendment to Stimulus Bill prohibiting funding for museums, along with any “ casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, or swimming pool." IT PASSED, with support from many Senators who are usually our friends. Museum eligibility saved during House-Senate conference committee thanks to furious last-minute lobbying, but ban on zoos and aquaria stood,

“Coburn Amendments” Late 2009: Amendments to one-year reauthorization of Intermodal Surface Transportation Act (a.k.a. the “Highway Bill”) to eliminate Transportation Enhancements program; or, museums category within TE program. DEFEATED, again as the result of furious lobbying at a moment’s notice

“Coburn Amendments” He’ll be back!

THE ASK Please vote against any amendments stigmatizing museums and denigrating the hard work of our volunteers as you move forward in developing your spending bills for FY 2011 Please specifically vote against any amendments targeting Transportation Enhancements, or Category Transportation Museums.

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