Membership FAQs

Abstract painting features translucent, wave-like turquoise, aquamarine, and fuchsia washes mingled with red lines and hard-edged, matte-pink sinuous shapes bounded by blue and green scales. Other details resolve into a human hand, tree-sprigged mountains, and craggy branches.
Here are answers to some of our most common inquiries about Membership.

We are pleased to offer the option to auto-renew your membership. Learn more about the Membership Automatic Renewal option.

We welcome any questions, comments, or suggestions you may have. You can reach us via phone, email, or post. Our office hours are Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. ET.

New Membership Program FAQs

The National Museum of Women in the Arts is revamping its membership program with new pricing, levels, and benefits. We look forward to launching the enhanced program on July 1, 2023.

Our updated program is based on feedback from our members and museum community to include the benefits that are most valued. It is designed to deepen engagement with NMWA and ensures stable, long-term financial support that will allow the museum to increase its efforts on behalf of women in the arts well into the future.

  • NMWA Virtual ($60/year): Invitations to exclusive virtual events and access to virtual programs
  • Advocate ($75/year): Free admission for one adult, discounts on programs and events
  • Advocate Plus ($120/year): Advocate benefits for two adults
  • Explorer ($180/year): Advocate Plus benefits, as well as free admission to outstanding museums nationwide through the Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums (ROAM)
  • Enthusiast ($300/year): Explorer benefits, as well as NMWA in Focus behind the scenes experiences, a specially selected book about a woman artist sent to you each fall, chosen by the Director of NMWA’s Library and Research Center
  • Partner ($600/year): Enthusiast benefits, as well as recognition in the Women in the Arts magazine and an invitation for two to an exhibition opening
  • Donor Circle ($1,200/year): Partner benefits, as well as an exhibition catalog, recognition in the Annual Report, and an invitation to the Director’s exhibition opening

All NMWA members receive invitations to exclusive events, a subscription to the Women in the Arts magazine, recognition on the website, a discount in the shop, and exclusive NMWA branded swag.

Your membership will migrate to its new comparable level in the new program on July 1, 2023. You will not have to pay the difference between the levels. On your next renewal cycle, you will be invited to choose the new level that is best for you. Your online membership account may not show your new level immediately after the launch, but you will receive the benefits of the new program as long as your membership is active.

The list below shows your new comparable level. For example, if you are Dual Plus member, you will become an Advocate Plus member on July 1.

  • Supporter ($50) will become Advocate ($75)
  • Dual Plus ($95) will become Advocate Plus ($120)
  • Friend ($150) will become Explorer ($180)
  • Sustainer ($275) will become Enthusiast ($300)
  • Benefactor ($500) will become Partner ($600)
  • Donor Circle ($1,000) will become Donor Circle ($1,200)

Please note that Supporter level members will migrate to the Advocate level to experience the newly renovated NMWA in October. On your next renewal cycle, you can renew at the Advocate level or the NMWA Virtual level if that works best for you.

Yes. The last day to renew at the current rates is June 22. Your membership will automatically migrate to its comparable level on July 1.

Membership cards with the new levels will be mailed with acknowledgement letters beginning July 1. Membership cards with the legacy levels and an active status will be recognized by the museum through the membership’s expiration date.

As a member in the Automatic-Renewal program, you will be asked to re-enroll into the program at the time of your renewal because of the change in membership dues. You will have the opportunity to select the membership level with the amount of support and level of engagement that best suits your commitment to the museum.

Membership FAQs

A new membership requires two to three weeks for processing from the time we receive your contribution. You will receive a welcome packet with your membership card.

Your membership card gives you access to all of the exclusive benefits of membership, including entry to member only programs well as discounts in the online Museum Shop.

Don’t miss out on your member benefits because of a lost card! Email us at member@nmwa.org or call us at 866-875-4627 with your name and address, and we will send you a replacement within two weeks.

Simply email us at member@nmwa.org or call us at 866-875-4627 with your old and new information and we will update your record. Please note that address changes require approximately two to three weeks to take effect.

Be the first to know about member activities and events with our email updates! Our monthly e-newsletter includes member activities and events. If you have signed up for the newsletter on our homepage, you may not yet be registered to receive exclusive emails for members. To sign up, email us at member@nmwa.org with your name, address, and membership number.

We will send you reminders with the option to renew online or by mail via check or credit card. You can also call our office at 866-875-4627.

In order to keep overhead costs to a minimum and ensure that the highest possible amount of your contribution goes toward museum programming, renewal reminders are mailed third-class. Occasionally, a payment may cross in processing with a mailed reminder. If this happens, please disregard the notice and know that your renewal will be handled correctly. If you would like to renew early and prevent any confusion, please do so by renewing online.

No, memberships are not refundable.

No, memberships are non-transferable.

Gift memberships are available at all levels. Gift recipients receive all the benefits of membership. To purchase a gift membership with a credit card, simply call our office at 866-875-4627 or purchase online.

If you prefer to pay by check, please mail your payment to the following address:

National Museum of Women in the Arts
1250 New York Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20005

Be sure to include a note with your name, address, and phone number as well as the gift recipient’s name, address, phone number, and email.

Gift memberships take one to two weeks to process. If your gift is time-sensitive, please call us at 866-875-4627 so we can accommodate your request.

Yes. The museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Depending on your membership level and whether you have chosen to receive the associated benefits, a large portion of your membership may be tax deductible. To find out the exact tax-deductibility of your membership, please refer to the Membership page or Circles Membership information under your corresponding membership level.

Members at the Friend ($150) level and higher can take advantage of the Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums (ROAM), which includes free admission to outstanding museums nationwide. These members receive free or reduced admission at each participating museum, as well as member discounts on museum shop purchases and concert and lecture tickets.

Yes. To upgrade your membership and take advantage of increased member benefits, please call us at 866-875-4627.

Make your contribution go further at no additional cost. Simply ask for your company’s matching gift form and include it any time you send a contribution to the museum.

The museum does occasionally exchange mailing lists with other carefully selected groups. If you do not wish to be included in these exchanges, please email at member@nmwa.org or write to us at the address found in the Contact Us section of this page, and we will make a note in your record. The museum does not exchange phone numbers or email addresses.

To make a non-membership gift to the museum or to learn about additional giving opportunities, such as the Annual Fund, Endowment, or Honor/Memorial and Planned Giving, please donate online or call us at 866-875-4627.

Yes. However, please note that your gift will not be applicable for membership benefits. Consult your fund adviser or financial planner with any questions. To notify the museum about the gift, please email us at member@nmwa.org or call us at 866-875-4627. You can donate now via the DAF Direct tool.

Renewal notices are sent to members four months before their membership is due to expire. This allows members plenty of time to renew and ensures that their membership does not lapse. If you would like to receive fewer renewal reminders, please contact Member Services by emailing member@nmwa.org or calling 866-875-4627, and you will receive your first renewal notice closer to your expiration date.

Our award-winning Women in the Arts magazine is mailed four times annually. Members receive winter, spring, summer, and fall issues. If you have any concerns, please contact us.

Membership Automatic Renewal

Thank you for considering this sustainable option to renew your membership.

With auto-renewal, you save time and money, and your contributions stretch further. By selecting the convenient auto-renewal option when you join or renew, your annual auto-renewal payment will be processed one year from the date of the initial credit card charge. This is an easy way to ensure that your support is ongoing, while saving the museum administrative costs. 

Auto-renewal is a great option because it is:

  • Eco-friendly: You will not receive renewal letters in the mail.
  • Cost-effective: Your membership dues will go further in supporting the exhibitions and programs you love by reducing mailing and printing costs.
  • Sustainable: Show the museum that it can count on your support for developing exhibitions, taking care of objects, and facilitating programs.
  • Easy: Your membership and benefits will be ready when you need them.

The transaction will look and feel like a regular online membership payment. Your credit card information is stored in a secure database and is protected with encryption software. Our site encrypts your credit card number prior to transmission using secure socket layer (SSL) encryption technology. Please review our Privacy Policy.

Your credit card will be charged annually one year from the date of the last credit card charge. We will send you an email reminder before your credit card is charged each year.

Your auto-renewal charge will be for the regular amount of your membership level. Discounts, promotions, and add-ons do not auto-renew. If membership dues increase, you will be notified of the change one month prior to the charge.

Membership dues increase periodically to keep up with inflation and to better reflect the value of services provided. You will be sent an email with information about any dues increase, at which time you can select a different membership level or cancel your upcoming auto-renewal transaction.

As the museum grows in importance to you, consider graduating to a higher level of membership for opportunities to foster a deeper connection. You can upgrade your membership at any time by contacting the Membership Department.

If you wish to cancel your auto-renewal payments, please contact the Membership Department by phone or email in advance of your month of expiration.

You will receive your membership card within one to two weeks of the transaction. You will receive an email receipt on the day of the transaction.

You can make a donation online at any time, by calling the Membership Department at 866-875-4627, or by mailing a check, with the note “donation,” to the Development Department at the following address:

National Museum of Women in the Arts
1250 New York Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20005

Contact Us

Membership Department

Toll free: 866-875-4627

member@nmwa.org

National Museum of Women in the Arts
1615 M Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036