For Immediate Release
Arlington, VA – The American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the only organization representing the entire scope of the museum community, today announced 4 first time accreditation and 31 reaccreditation awards made at the February 2025 meeting of the Accreditation Commission. Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, 1116 are currently accredited.
Through a rigorous process of self-assessment and review by their peers, these museums have demonstrated they meet standards and best practices, and are educational entities that are appropriate stewards of the collections and resources they hold in the public trust.
Recognized as the field’s gold standard for museum excellence for 55 years, AAM accreditation signifies a museum’s quality and credibility to the entire museum community, to governments and outside agencies, and to the museum-going public. The Accreditation Program ensures the integrity and accessibility of museum collections, reinforces the educational and public service roles of museums, and promotes good governance practices and ethical behavior.
First-time Accreditation:
- Artis-Naples, The Baker Museum, Naples, FL
- Graham Gund Gallery, Kenyon College, Gambier, OH
- Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL
- Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, OH
Reaccreditation:
- Akron Art Museum, Akron, OH
- Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Charlotte, NC
- Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley, CA
- Buffalo Museum of Science, Buffalo, NY
- Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago, IL
- Chippewa Valley Museum, Eau Claire, WI
- Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, AZ
- EAA Aviation Museum, Oshkosh, WI
- George Eastman Museum, Rochester, NY
- Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, MI
- Gunston Hall, Mason Neck, VA
- Historical Museum at Fort Missoula, Missoula, MT
- Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington, WV
- Krasl Art Center, Saint Joseph, MI
- LSU Museum of Art, Baton Rouge, LA
- Mead Art Museum, Amherst College, Amherst, MA
- Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- Museums of Western Colorado, Grand Junction, CO
- National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
- Natural History Museum of Utah, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
- New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT
- Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, Oklahoma City, OK
- Penobscot Marine Museum, Searsport, ME
- Raynham Hall Museum, Oyster Bay, NY
- Reading Public Museum, Reading, PA
- Rogers Historical Museum, Rogers, AR
- Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, CA
- State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
- Taft Museum of Art, Cincinnati, OH
- Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro, NC
- West Point Museum, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY
To earn accreditation, a museum submits a self-study questionnaire and key operational documents for evaluation, then undergoes a site visit by a two-person team of peer reviewers which produces a report for the Accreditation Commission. The Commission uses these materials and its collective expertise to determine whether to grant accreditation.
The Accreditation Commission meets 3 times a year (February, June, and October) and can make one of the following decisions:
- Grant accreditation (usually for 10 years)
- Table its decision for 1 year so specific issues can be addressed
- Deny accreditation due to failure to meet multiple Core Standards
- Defer a decision to gather additional information
A museum’s accredited status is not changed during a period in which a decision is tabled or deferred.
Read more about the Alliance’s Accreditation Program.
About the American Alliance of Museums
The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) is the only organization representing the entire museum field, from art and history museums to science centers and zoos. Since 1906, we have been championing museums through advocacy and providing museum professionals with the resources, knowledge, inspiration, and connections they need to move the field forward.
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Press Contact:
Natanya Khashan
