Who is involved? 
Museum ●Peer Reviewer ●MAP Staff

How does it work? 
Apply ● Self-Study ● Peer Review ●Implementation

Who is involved?

The assessment process as a whole is a collaboration of three partners:

Museum
You, the staff, and governing authority best understand your mission, community, audiences, resources, challenges, and opportunities. You are an active partner throughout the assessment process. You will work internally on the self-study phase, with the peer reviewers during the peer review phase, and finally on embedding recommendations into your organization’s process of planning and implementation.

Peer Reviewer
Conducts site visit and writes Assessment Report in collaboration with your institution. The Peer reviewer provides an objective perspective and experience relevant to your needs. The peer reviewer helps you explore your organization from a fresh point of view; examines your operations in light of current standards and best practices; and shares models and resources for recommended changes.

MAP Staff
Please contact us if you have questions or want further information about how to get the most out of your assessment. We help match you with a peer reviewer and work with the peer reviewer to provide resources and knowledge of current standards and best practices relevant to your concerns. We are your partners in the assessment process. We also highly recommend that you contact us should you have any questions on the self-study as you work to complete it. Don’t hesitate. Give us a call.

How does it work?

Step I: Apply

By applying to MAP, you can help your institution attain excellence in operations and planning through guided self-study and peer review. The MAP process aims to assess your institution’s situation and provide guidance on strategies which can enhance the ability of your staff, governing authority and volunteers to improve and strengthen operations. It is important that when you apply to MAP, you set appropriate goals for your institution that you think are realistic within the scope of the program.

Before applying, you should browse this website and educate yourself about MAP. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact MAP staff. Choose your assessment and apply for the program, either through the annual application or through AAM’s Flexible Participation program. Eligible museums will be accepted on a rolling basis within eight weeks of applying and can begin the assessment immediately.

Step II: Self-Study

Shortly after your notification of acceptance into the program, the MAP Staff at AAM will send you a Self-Study Workbook that includes a Questionnaire and Activities. Self-study is a method that:

• stimulates a review of your institution's policies, procedures and records;
• enhances institutional dialogue and openness;
• provides information for the peer review phase;
• serves as a baseline against which to measure your progress.

The Self-Study Questionnaire and Activities are designed to help your institution see itself systemically, not merely as a way to prepare the Peer Reviewer. Museums will have four months to complete the Self-Study.

Step III: Peer Review

As you complete the self-study phase, preparation for peer review begins. MAP Peer Reviewers are museum professionals who donate their time for the betterment of the field, and receive a small honorarium. Based on the information you provide in your application, MAP staff provide a list of potential Peer Reviewers to review your institution during a 1–3 day Site Visit. You will eliminate any potential Peer Reviewers from consideration that may have a conflict of interest and rate the remaining number according to your preference. Staff will contact the Peer Reviewers in order of your preference to determine their availability. The Peer Reviewer reviews your completed Self-Study Workbook and other documents, conducts a Site Visit, and writes an Assessment Report, which summarizes the visit and makes recommendations for change. Peer review is a method that provides:

• the opportunity to critically review your operations with the benefit of a fresh perspective;
• validation and input from an experienced museum professional;
• consultative advice to help you improve.

Before the Visit, you supply the Peer Reviewer with any requested documents, discuss and arrange the agenda for his or her visit, and confirm Peer Reviewer-arranged travel and lodging. The majority of the work in this phase is done by the Peer Reviewer(s), who average over 60 hours preparing for the Visit and writing the Assessment Report.

It is important to keep in mind the role of your Peer Reviewer(s). S/he is there to serve as a guide. By analyzing your self-study materials and conducting the Site Visit, s/he will provide you with helpful information and suggested resources. As in the self-study phase, you should not try to impress your Peer Reviewer(s). S/he needs to see what is going well and what could be improved in order to give you appropriate recommendations. Click here to learn more about Peer Review.

Step IV: Implementation

The third phase consists of incorporating information from the self-study phase, the Site Visit, and the Assessment Report into your institution’s planning process. Using what you learn from the assessment, you formulate goals and strategies for the improvement of your museum. Your peer reviewer is available to work with you to help with this step. The overall implementation process can carry your institution through several years of development beyond the end of your assessment period.

Click here for the assessment timeline.

Click here to learn about the assessment types.