Museum Assessment Program (MAP)
About MAP
Since its inception in 1981, the Museum Assessment Program (MAP) has helped more than 5,000 small and mid-sized museums of all types strengthen operations, plan for the future, and meet standards.
Through a one-year process of self-assessment, institutional activities, and consultative peer review with a site visit and recommendations, your museum emerges with:
- Greater alignment of activities, mission, and resources
- Analysis of its strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities
- Prioritized roadmap for improving operations and meeting standards
- Practices benchmarked to standards
- Enhanced credibility with potential funders and donors
- Improved communications between staff, board, and other constituents
- Expert advice, recommendations, and resources
- Increased capacity for strategic planning
- Preparation for core document verification, accreditation or reaccreditation
MAP offers five different assessments to choose from:
- Organizational
- Collections Stewardship
- Education & Interpretation
- Community & Audience Engagement
- Board Leadership
Find out which one is right for your museum and discover MAP museums near you.
MAP also offers a special Follow Up Opportunity for museums that have participated in a MAP in 2014 or later. The next application deadline for this opportunity is August 1, 2023. Interested? Review the Follow Up Visit Guidelines and learn more about how to apply by visiting our Follow Up Visit Opportunity page.
| This 12-minute recorded presentation, “The Insider’s Guide to MAP,” covers all the details such as program cost, eligibility requirements, and some of the positive institutional impacts from a few of the more than 5,000 museums that have participated in MAP. |
Contact Museum Assessment Program (MAP), (202) 289-9118
MAP is supported through a cooperative agreement between the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the American Alliance of Museums.