Applying for Affiliation
Please review all of the information below as you determine if a Smithsonian Affiliation is right for your organization. For any questions during your information gathering or application process, please email affiliates@si.edu.
Each step outlined below and in the Application Toolkit will guide you through the process of thinking about your strengths, goals, and vision before applying for Affiliation.
After reviewing the resources on this page, and if you are thinking about applying, we encourage you to contact the Smithsonian Affiliations office. The knowledge and expertise of our talented and dedicated staff, coupled with the information shared on the Learning Hub, can help your organization assess whether Affiliation is right for you.
PLEASE NOTE: The next deadline to apply is September 30, 2026.
In this section of the Toolkit, learn about our mission, what we look for in applicants, and how we build impactful collaborations.
Our network of more than 200 Affiliate organizations collaborates with the Smithsonian – and with each other – to create experiences that educate and inspire.
As you consider whether Smithsonian Affiliations is right for your organization, we encourage you to review all of the information on this page as well as visit our About Us page to understand our mission and vision and review our recent publications.
In Part 2 of the Toolkit, leverage guided reflection opportunities to help your team decide if Affiliations is the right fit right now.
- Understand that regardless of your organization’s capacity, we value you and encourage you to engage in your own unique ways.
- Review the requirements and see ways that applicants with various capacities have effectively engaged with the Smithsonian.
- Discover other Smithsonian resources that are free for all, whether you become an Affiliate at this time or not.
What is your vision for collaboration? In Step 3, explore our Learning Hub where you can see examples of successful Affiliate collaborations and gain a better understanding of the opportunities associated with being an Affiliate.
Use the Learning Hub to discover the things that interest and excite Affiliations—and the Smithsonian—and how we use our work to:
- Underscore the importance of local stories in understanding national stories
- Contribute local perspectives on national and global issues
- Inspire lifelong learning
- Connect and strengthen the nation’s rich and diverse museums and cultural organizations
- Promote innovative and best practices for museum professionals
In the final Toolkit section, set yourself up for success by learning about the holistic application process of becoming an Affiliate.
Understand the requirements for applying and use a handy checklist to organize your process. Make sure you have read and understand our policies in determining if an affiliation is right for you.
Work as a team! Capture diverse perspectives in your organization so that we understand your work, your impact, and your vision for collaboration.
Once you have gathered your material and are ready to submit, please fill out the Smithsonian Affiliate Application Form (form will be live approximately 3 months prior to the deadline).
Application FAQs
What is the governing policy of Smithsonian Affiliations?
In addition to understanding the benefits and opportunities of being a Smithsonian Affiliate, it’s also important to be familiar with our policies. For example, to become a Smithsonian Affiliate, an organization must have a physical location where it currently provides services or activities for the public and must be open to the public on a consistent and predictable schedule. Organizations under development, not yet open or temporarily closed to the public are not eligible. Affiliates must be non-profit organizations with 501(c)(3) designations and current Form 990s on file with the IRS, or public institutions associated with state or local governments.
Read the full policy to help you determine if Affiliations is right for your organization.
What is the general process for applying?
Organizations interested in affiliating with the Smithsonian must submit an online application to Smithsonian Affiliations. After applications are received, a committee of Smithsonian and Affiliate leaders, along with others who have broad knowledge and understanding of museums and cultural organizations, reviews and assesses each application, using a standard rubric as a guide. The committee then convenes to discuss the applications and provide recommendations about which organizations are best positioned to be engaged Affiliates. The Director of SITES | Smithsonian Affiliations makes the final decisions about acceptance. All applicants are notified about the status of their application at the conclusion of this process.
New Affiliate applications are accepted approximately every 18 months. The next deadline to apply is September 30, 2026.
For the next application cycle, preference will be given to organizations:
- In states where we do not currently have Affiliates (Idaho, North Dakota, and Utah)
- That have previously worked with the Smithsonian on research, exhibition development, collections sharing*, educational program development or in other professional capacities
- With strong research, collections, exhibition, and/or educational programs in the Smithsonian’s current priority topic areas, including, Life on a Sustainable Planet and Our Shared Future: Reckoning with Our Racial Past, as well as the Smithsonian’s newest museums, the National Museum of the American Latino and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum. We are also looking for collaborators who work in and with rural communities. With specific ideas for collaboration with one or more Smithsonian museums or research centers
If accepted, affiliating organizations must sign a Smithsonian Institution Affiliations Agreement (available upon request) and must commit to paying the annual Smithsonian Affiliations fee of $3,000 per year.
The Smithsonian will notify the applicant if the proposal is not accepted. Proposals may be resubmitted at a later time. Resubmitted applications go through the same review process and are not given preference or priority.
*Smithsonian Affiliations accepts applications from organizations that do not acquire or maintain collections.
Please review the entire Application Toolkit to determine if a Smithsonian Affiliation is right for your organization before applying.
Are there costs associated with being an Affiliate?
Each Smithsonian Affiliate pays an annual fee of $3,000.
In addition to this fee, there are costs to participate in programs and activities with Smithsonian museums and research centers. These fees are separate from and are not reduced by the annual Affiliations membership fee. Charges by Smithsonian museums and programs vary depending on the type and scope of collaboration activities. As examples, travel, lodging, and per diem are required to bring curators, educators, and others to present public programs, conduct training, and provide professional consultation. Traveling exhibitions can have rental fees, as well as costs associated with insurance, packing and shipping, conservation, copyright clearances, installation and de-installation, security, and travel. Artifact loans have many of these same costs.
Does my organization have to be an Affiliate to collaborate with the Smithsonian?
Any organization, regardless of Affiliation status, may request to borrow objects from the Smithsonian, rent traveling exhibitions, and take advantage of educational programs and resources.
You can view Smithsonian collections through the Smithsonian Collections Search Center and learn more about the loan process by contacting a museum directly. You can visit the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) to learn about available exhibitions and find Smithsonian educational resources online.
For more information about the benefits of being a Smithsonian Affiliate, please read the Part 1: DISCOVER section of the Application Toolkit.
Who can I contact with questions?
After reviewing the resources in the Learning Hub and in the Application Toolkit, if you have questions, we encourage you to contact the Smithsonian Affiliations office.
Please email affiliates@si.edu and tell us a little about your organization and if you are interested in learning more about a Smithsonian Affiliation.
Where to submit application material
Applicants will use an online form to submit their information. The form will be live approximately 3 months prior to the deadline.
Checklist before submitting an application:
- Have you reviewed the Applying for Affiliation pages?
- Have you spoken with a team member at Smithsonian Affiliations?
- Have you reviewed the Smithsonian Affiliations Policy?
- Have you reviewed the Application Toolkit before starting the form?
- Would you like a transcript of the form before beginning? Download form text here.
PLEASE NOTE:
- Application documents cannot be uploaded directly to the form. Please upload all attachments to Dropbox or Google Drive and provide a link where indicated on the application form so that Affiliations staff can access the files.
- You cannot save and return to the form.
Questions or issues with applying for affiliation? Email affiliates@si.edu
