March 27, 2024

#ShareYourStory will feature public testimonies of museum and library excellence

National Medal Museum and Library Service medal

Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services is pleased to announce 30 finalists for the 2024 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries that demonstrate excellence in service to their communities. Since 1996, the award has honored more than 200 institutions that demonstrated extraordinary and innovative approaches to public service.

“The 30 National Medal finalists from across the United States showcase the tremendous abilities of libraries and museums to serve as trusted, dynamic public spaces that meet the needs of their communities,” said IMLS Acting Director Cyndee Landrum. “The Institute of Museum and Library Services is honored to recognize these outstanding institutions. We congratulate them on their collective effort to respond to community needs, preserve diverse history and culture, and create a sense of belonging for all Americans.”

Throughout April and May, IMLS will showcase the excellent community work of these institutions through its Share Your Story social media campaign. Anyone whose life has been touched by these museums or libraries is encouraged to share their memories and pictures and tag IMLS on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter) by using the hashtag #IMLSmedals.

IMLS congratulates the 2024 finalists of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service and thanks all those who applied. This year’s 30 finalists are:

Libraries

  • Azalea Regional Library System (Sparta, GA)

  • Chapel Hill Public Library (Chapel Hill, NC)

  • DC Public Library (Washington, DC)

  • East Brunswick Public Library (East Brunswick, NJ)

  • Enoch Pratt Free Library (Baltimore, MD)

  • Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library (Gloucester, MA)

  • Griswold Memorial Library (Colrain, MA)

  • Harris County Public Library (Houston, TX)

  • Kent District Library (Comstock Park, MI)

  • Lambertville Free Public Library (Lambertville, NJ)

  • Mesa County Libraries (Grand Junction, CO)

  • San Diego County Library (San Diego, CA)

  • The Copper Queen Library (Bisbee, AZ)

  • The Jane Stern Dorado Community Library (Dorado, Puerto Rico)

  • Worcester Public Library (Worcester, MA)

Museums

  • Children’s Museum of Houston (Houston, TX)

  • Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (Tucson, AZ)

  • Bay Area Discovery Museum (Sausalito, CA)

  • California Academy of Sciences (San Francisco, CA)

  • Discovery Museum (Acton, MA)

  • El Paso Museum of History (El Paso, TX)

  • Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation (Powell, WY)

  • Hoċokata Ṫi (Shakopee, MN)

  • Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago, IL)

  • The Louis Armstrong House Museum (Queens, NY)

  • The Mariners’ Museum and Park (Newport News, VA)

  • Museum of Idaho (Idaho Falls, ID)

  • Museum of Us (San Diego, CA)

  • Orlando Science Center (Orlando, FL)

  • Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens (Pittsburgh, PA)

The 2024 National Medal winners will be announced the last week of May, and a national ceremony and celebration will be held in Washington, DC, in July.

To learn more about the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, visit the IMLS website.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about our diverse natural and cultural heritage. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.