Since its foundation in 1977, the Canadian Federation of Friends of Museums (CFFM) has been the national voice for the over 100,000 volunteers who support museums and heritage sites throughout Canada. CFFM knows that volunteers are at the heart of our museums. From day-to-day operations to fundraising and research, volunteers play many roles in heritage organizations, and they are vital members of the museum community.

Friends of Museums are "those who contribute in any way to the support of museums, to their development and to their public presence and influence. They act on a voluntary and non-remunerative basis. Their support is moral, financial, or consists of voluntary work or expertise." CFFM members, therefore, include benefactors, donors, volunteers, board members, trustees, museum members and all those who support heritage organizations across the country with their donations, their actions and their expertise.

We are proud to be under the patronage of the Governor General of Canada, with whom we partner to nominate museum volunteers for the prestigious Sovereign's Medal for volunteers. 

OUR MISSION

We represent and advocate on behalf of volunteers in Canadian museums and heritage sites.

PROMOTE

We promote our members and aim at enhancing the volunteer component of our museum community.

COOPERATE

We provide a forum for volunteers, and we cooperate with museums and associations on the role of Friends.

EDUCATE

We educate the Canadian public about the value of museums and of preserving our heritage.

ENCOURAGE

We encourage young people to take an active role in museums, especially as volunteers.

WHAT WE DO

We provide a number of resources to support Friends of museums and we also represent Canadian volunteers nationally and internationally.

  • We sponsor the annual Carol Sprachman Lecture, named in honour of an outstanding museum volunteer and CFFM pioneer, and featuring a keynote by a leading voice in Canadian culture and heritage.
  • Alongside the Canadian Museum Association (CMA), we celebrate the work of volunteers with the annual Museum Volunteer Award.
  • We publish a tri-quarterly newsletter, Au Courant, highlighting our members, Canadian museums, and international Friends.
  • We provide a number of resources, including our monthly volunteer management memo, Volunteer Voices.
  • Our Young Friends groups organize events, networking, and encourages people new to the cultural heritage sector to participate in museum volunteering.

WHO WE ARE

We work in cooperation with Canada’s and the world’s leading museums and heritage organizations. We have a number of amazing Canadian and international partners, notably:

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