Our Story
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.
Our History
The Canadian Federation of Friends of Museums (CFFM) was founded after two volunteers from the Art Gallery of Ontario attended the First International Congress of the World Federation of Friends of Museums (WFFM) in 1972 in Barcelona, Spain.
A History of Friends
According to the World Federation of Friends of Museums (WFFM) the first Friends association was the Vorarlberger Landesmuseumverein of Austria, set up in 1857. There was a tendency for the early organizations to be for the elite; their members were art collectors and wealthy benefactors who achieved prestige from their affiliation with museums.
