First organized in 1960 as the New York State Association of Museums and chartered by the New York State Education Department in 1962, the Museum Association of New York (MANY) is a nationally recognized state museum association committed to strengthening the organizational development of the state’s diverse museum and heritage organization communities. As a member-based information and advocacy resource, MANY engages in a variety of programs and services addressing legislative and policy issues, analyzing and collecting trend data, and building information networks. It brings the collective contributions and issues of museums and heritage organizations to the attention of policy makers and residents, and it works on behalf of all museums in the state to foster healthy institutions based on good governance and leadership.
Major Accomplishments
- Pioneered the development of museum accreditation and the establishment of accepted guidelines for the accessioning and deaccessioning of museum collections.
- Was the first organization within New York State to urge the establishment of state aid to museums through a state arts council and through the state education department.
- Salary and Benefits Survey: first published in 1972; published biennially since 1986
- Led efforts to strengthen the Regents Rules for Chartered Museums and Historical Societies: 2005 – 2006
- Field research leading to the white paper on Next Generation Leadership in NYS Museums, 2006
- Field research leading to the white paper on Succession Planning in NYS Museums, 2008
- Led efforts to create Abandoned Property legislation that was signed into law in 2008
Association Presidents
1960 – 1962 Dr. William C. Steere, Director, New York Botanical Garden
1962 – 1964 Mr. Keith Martin, Director, Roberson Memorial Center, Binghamton
1964 – 1966 Mr. Fred T. Hall, Director, Buffalo Museum of Science
1966 – 1968 Mr. Keith Martin, Director, Roberson Memorial Center, Binghamton
1968 – 1970 Mr. Paul N. Perrot, Director, Corning Museum of Glass
1970 – 1972 Joseph V. Noble, Director, Museum of the City of New York
1972 – 1975 Thomas D. Nicholson, Director, American Museum of Natural History
1980 G. Carroll Lindsay, Director, Museum Services, New York State Museum
1980 – 1984 Craig Gilborn, Director, Adirondack Museum
1984 – 1986 Susan Stitt, Director, Museums at Stony Brook
1986 – 1988 Robert A. Mayer, Director, International Museum of Photography at George Eastman House
1988 – 1993 Viki Sand, Director, Shaker Museum & Library
1993 – 1997 Christine M. Miles, Director, Albany Institute of History & Art
1997 – 1998 G. Rollie Adams, President, The Strong Museum
1998 – 2001 Steve Rooney, Deputy Director, International Center of Photography
2001 – 2005 Nicholas Westbrook, Director, Fort Ticonderoga
2005 – 2008 Stephen W. Clark, Deputy General Counsel, Museum of Modern Art
2008 – John Haworth, Director, George Gustav Heye Center, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian
