Museum of Political Corruption

The Museum of Political Corruption is an [https://museumofpoliticalcorruption.org/ online museum] that was originally planned to be in a physical space in Albany, New York. The online museum focuses on political corruption.

The museum is the idea of Bruce Roter, a composer and a professor of music at Albany's College of Saint Rose.{{cite news|last1=McGrath|first1=Ben|title=Hall of Shame|url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/08/26/hall-of-shame|accessdate=2 December 2015|publisher=The New Yorker|date=26 August 2013}}{{cite news|last1=Wang|first1=Hansi Lo|title=New Yorkers May Soon Be Able To Buy Kickbacks ... As Souvenirs|url=https://www.npr.org/2015/11/27/457520972/new-yorkers-may-soon-be-able-to-buy-kickbacks-as-souvenirs|accessdate=2 December 2015|publisher=National Public Radio|date=1 December 2015}} His ideas for the as yet unfunded and unbuilt museum include installation of a revolving door, a "Lobby of Lobbyists," a "Tammany Lecture Hall" (referencing the corrupt, 19th century political machine Tammany Hall), a museum restaurant called the "Cozy Crony Cafe," and a gift shop selling a cookbook called the, "How to Cook Your Books' Cookbook."{{cite news|last1=DeMasi|first1=Michael|title=Albany's Museum of Political Corruption no longer just a funny idea|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/morning_call/2015/10/albanys-museum-of-political-corruption-takes-steps.html|accessdate=2 December 2015|publisher=Albany Business Review|date=28 October 2015}} He hopes to open the museum in 2019.

Although the museum is intended to be amusing and ironic, it will also be the product of careful design backed by serious scholarship. The Board of Trustees and Board of Advisers include Thomas Bass, professor of journalism and literature at the University at Albany, SUNY, Philip Mark Plotch, professor of political science at Saint Peter's University, Frank Anechiarico, professor of government at Hamilton College, Sarah Rodman of the Harvard graduate program in Museum studies, and Zephyr Teachout, one-time candidate for governor and professor at Fordham Law School.{{cite news|last1=Biancolli|first1=Amy|title=Thomas Bass joins Museum of Political Corruption|url=http://blog.timesunion.com/localarts/thomas-bass-joins-museum-of-political-corruption/37455/|accessdate=2 December 2015|publisher=Albany Times Union|date=20 April 2015}}{{cite news|title=Zephyr Teachout joins advisory board for Albany Museum of Political Corruption|url=http://blog.timesunion.com/localarts/zephyr-teachout-joins-advisory-board-for-albany-museum-of-political-corruption/36829/|accessdate=2 December 2015|publisher=Albany Times Union|date=5 March 2015}}

The proposal is backed by Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan and Albany Times Union columnist Chris Churchill, who hope that it will bring tourism to the city.{{cite news|last1=Virtanen|first1=Michael|title=New museum could draw tourism Political corruption will be highlighted|url=http://www.concordmonitor.com/news/politics/19743200-95/new-museum-could-draw-tourism|accessdate=2 December 2015|agency=AP|publisher=Concord Monitor|date=28 November 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Churchill|first1=Chris|title=Albany needs political corruption museum|url=http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Albany-needs-political-corruption-museum-4699630.php|accessdate=2 December 2015|publisher=Times Union (Albany)|date=1 August 2013}}

The museum was recognized by the Cooperstown Graduate Program in Museum Studies as an "emerging institution." It is a registered a 501(c)(3) and it received a five-year provisional charter from the New York Board of Regents in October, 2015.

Since 2017, the museum annually has honored journalists with the Nellie Bly award for investigative reporting.{{cite news|title=ProPublica Wins Nellie Bly Award for Supreme Court Coverage|url=https://www.propublica.org/atpropublica/propublica-wins-nellie-bly-award-for-supreme-court-coverage|publisher=Pro Publica|date=5 May 2025}} Winners include Susanne Craig (2017), Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey (2018), Jim Heaney (2019), Jane Mayer (2020), Alex Gibney (2021), Jerry Mitchell (2022), Anna Wolfe (2023), ProPublica staff (2024), and Glenn Kessler (2025).{{cite news |url=https://museumofpoliticalcorruption.org/the-nellie-bly-award-for-investigative-reporting/ |title=2025 Nellie Bly Award Honoree |date=May 5, 2025 |archive-date=May 5, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250505163100/https://museumofpoliticalcorruption.org/the-nellie-bly-award-for-investigative-reporting/ |url-status=live }}