The National Medal for Museum and Library Service is an award given annually by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to American libraries and museums with outstanding service to their communities. The IMLS refers to the medal as "the nation’s highest honor conferred on museums and libraries for service to the community." The award is typically presented by the First Lady of the United States.
From 1994 to 1999, the award was known as the National Award for Museum Service and given to museums only. From 2000 to 2006, it was awarded to three museums and three libraries annually, and was known as the "National Award for Museum and Library Service". From 2007 to the present, it has borne its present name, and been awarded to five museums and five libraries.
The lists of awardees for 1994-2009 are drawn from the 2009 medals booklet, published by the IMLS.
Brukner Nature Center, Troy, OhioThe Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, Jacksonville, FloridaMissouri Historical Society, St. Louis, MissouriBrooklyn Children's Museum, Brooklyn, New YorkThe Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum, Chicago, IllinoisMontshire Museum of Science, Norwich, VermontThe Wing Luke Asian Museum, Seattle, WashingtonThe Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DCThe Field Museum, Chicago, IllinoisThe Natural Science Center of Greensboro, Greensboro, North CarolinaThe Children's Museum of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IndianaThe Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TexasNational Aquarium in Baltimore, Baltimore, MarylandBelknap Mill Society, Laconia, New HampshireHenry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village, Dearborn, MichiganNew Jersey Historical Society, Newark, New JerseyLincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IllinoisNevada Museum of Art, Reno, NevadaSt. Simons Island Lighthouse Museum, St. Simons Island, GeorgiaIn 2000, the first year that the award was given to libraries, the following seven institutions received it:
Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New YorkAlutiiq Museum & Archaeological Repository, Kodiak, AlaskaB.B. Comer Memorial Library, Sylacauga, AlabamaQueens Borough Public Library, Jamaica, New YorkSimon Wiesenthal Center Library and Archives, Los Angeles, CaliforniaUrie Elementary School Library, Lyman, WyomingYouth Museum of Southern West Virginia, Beckley, West VirginiaAlaska Resources Library and Information Services, Anchorage, AlaskaChildren's Discovery Museum of San Jose, San Jose, CaliforniaHancock County Library System, Bay St. Louis, MississippiMiami Museum of Science, Miami, FloridaNew England Aquarium, Boston, MassachusettsProvidence Public Library, Providence, Rhode IslandBoundary County District Library, Bonners Ferry, IdahoHartford Public Library, Hartford, ConnecticutPlease Touch Museum, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaSouthern Alleghenies Museum of Art, Loretto, PennsylvaniaSouthwest Georgia Regional Public Library System, Bainbridge, GeorgiaWildlife Conservation Society/Bronx Zoo, Bronx, New YorkBozeman Public Library, Bozeman, MontanaCarnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaFree Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPocahontas County Free Libraries, Marlinton, West VirginiaSan Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, TexasUSS Constitution Museum, Boston, MassachusettsChicago Botanic Garden, Chicago, IllinoisFlint Public Library, Flint, MichiganMayagüez Children's Library, Mayagüez, Puerto RicoThe Regional Academic Health Center Medical Library of the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TexasWestern Folklife Center, Elko, NebraskaZoological Society of San Diego, San Diego, CaliforniaCOSI Toledo, Toledo, OhioJohnson County Library, Overland Park, KansasLevine Museum of the New South, Charlotte, North CarolinaMathews Memorial Library, Mathews, VirginiaPratt Museum, Homer, AlaskaSaint Paul Public Library, Saint Paul, MNArtrain USA, Ann Arbor, MichiganFrankfort Community Public Library, Frankfort, IndianaJohn G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IllinoisLincoln Children's Zoo, Lincoln, NEPublic Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, Charlotte, North CarolinaSan Antonio Public Library, San Antonio, TexasBirmingham Civil Rights Institute, Birmingham, AlabamaBrookfield Zoo of the Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield, IllinoisGeorgetown County Library, Georgetown, South CarolinaKim Yerton Branch of the Humboldt County Library, Hoopa, CaliforniaMemphis Public Library & Information Center, Memphis, TennesseeNational Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DCThe Newberry Library, Chicago, IllinoisOcean County Library, Toms River, New JerseyOregon Museum of Science and Industry, Portland, OregonVermont Historical Society, Barre, VermontBuffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, WyomingThe Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaGeneral Lew Wallace Study and Museum, Crawfordsville, IndianaJane Stern Dorado Community Library, Dorado, Puerto RicoKansas City Public Library, Kansas City, MissouriLower East Side Tenement Museum, New York, New YorkMiami-Dade Public Library System, Miami, FloridaNorton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, FloridaSkidompha Public Library, Damariscotta, MaineSkokie Public Library, Skokie, IllinoisBraille Institute Library Services, Los Angeles, CaliforniaChildren's Museum of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaCincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal, Cincinnati, OhioGail Borden Public Library, Elgin, IllinoisIndianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, IndianaMultnomah County Library, Portland, OregonMuseum of Science & Industry, Tampa, FloridaPritzker Military Museum & Library, Chicago, IllinoisStark County District Library, Canton, OhioTennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga, TennesseeIn 2010, the award was given to the following ten libraries and museums:
Conner Prairie Interactive History Park, Fishers, IndianaExplora, Albuquerque, New MexicoJapanese American National Museum, Los Angeles, CaliforniaMississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MSNashville Public Library, Nashville, TennesseeThe New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New YorkPatchogue-Medford Library, Patchogue, New YorkPeter White Public Library, Marquette, MichiganRangeview Library District and Anythink Libraries, Adams County, ColoradoWest Bloomfield Township Public Library, West Bloomfield Township, MichiganIn 2011, the award was given to the following ten libraries and museums:
Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FloridaBrooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New YorkColumbus Metropolitan Library, Columbus, OhioEdVenture Children's Museum, Columbia, South CarolinaErie Art Museum, Erie, PennsylvaniaHill Museum & Manuscript Library, Collegeville, MinnesotaLewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond, VirginiaMadison Children's Museum, Madison, WisconsinSan José Public Library, San José, CaliforniaWeippe Public Library & Discovery Center, Weippe, IdahoIn 2012, the award was given to the following ten libraries and museums:
Bootheel Youth Museum, Malden, MissouriContra Costa County Library, Pleasant Hill, CaliforniaCumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, North CarolinaGarfield Park Conservatory, Chicago, IllinoisLong Island Children's Museum, Garden City, New YorkMuseum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, FloridaNaturita Community Library, Naturita, ColoradoPacific Science Center, Seattle, WashingtonPark View High School Library Media Center, Sterling, VirginiaShaler North Hills Library, Glenshaw, PennsylvaniaIn 2013, the award was given to the following ten libraries and museums, and presented by First Lady Michelle Obama:
Boston Children's Museum, Boston, MassachusettsColumbus Museum of Art, Columbus, OhioDelta Blues Museum, Clarksdale, MississippiDiscovery Science Center, Santa Ana, CaliforniaMarshalltown Public Library, Marshalltown, IowaNational Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, Cedar Rapids, IowaPierce County Library System, Tacoma, WashingtonPublic Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Cincinnati, OhioRancho Cucamonga Public Library, Rancho Cucamonga, CaliforniaWaukegan Public Library, Waukegan, IllinoisIn 2014, the award was given to the following ten libraries and museums:
Chicago Public Library, Chicago, IllinoisBrooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, New YorkLas Vegas-Clark County Library District, Las Vegas, NevadaMid-Continent Public Library, Independence, MissouriMystic Aquarium, Mystic, ConnecticutNorth Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, North CarolinaOctavia Fellin Public Library, Gallup, New MexicoSam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Norman, OklahomaThe Children's Museum of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IndianaYiddish Book Center, Amherst, MassachusettsIn 2015, the award was given to the following ten libraries and museums:
Amazement Square, Lynchburg, VirginiaCecil County Public Library, Elkton, MarylandCraig Public Library, Craig, AlaskaEmbudo Valley Library and Community Center, Dixon, New MexicoLos Angeles Public Library, Los Angeles, CaliforniaLouisiana Children’s Museum, New Orleans, LouisianaMuseum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, ArizonaNew York Hall of Science, Queens, New YorkThe Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York, New YorkThe Tech Museum of Innovation, San Jose, CaliforniaIn 2016, the award was given to the following ten libraries and museums:
Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn, New YorkThe Chicago History Museum, Chicago, IllinoisColumbia Museum of Art, Columbia, South CarolinaLynn Meadows Discovery Center for Children, Gulfport, MississippiMadison Public Library, Madison, WisconsinMid-America Science Museum, Hot Springs, ArkansasNorth Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, North CarolinaOtis Library, Norwich, ConnecticutSanta Ana Public Library, Santa Ana, CaliforniaTomaquag Museum, Exeter, Rhode Island 