The Museum Trustee Association (MTA) is the only organization dedicated to providing ongoing board education programs, services and resources for the special needs of museum trustees. Museum trustees are elected to govern institutions voluntarily. There are nearly 75,000 museum trustees in the United States; they set policy, ensure funding and oversee the management of their institutions, and in many cases are almost entirely untrained. The moral and legal obligations of museum trustees are complex, and in many respects, unique to the museum world.
- Setting policy
- Making strategic plans and decisions
- Allocating resources
- Setting goals
- Raising funds
- Evaluating performance
- Rewarding and motivating management
- Carrying out top personnel decisions
- Making themselves available to assist in their areas of individual expertise
- Representing the museum as community spokespersons
