In brief: Montclair Art Museum accredited

Last Tuesday, March 3, Montclair Art Museum (MAM)  announced it hs again achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition afforded the nation’s museums. MAM was one of the first museums accredited in the country by the American Association of Museums (now American Alliance of Museums) in 1973. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public.

In a release, MAM stated that Alliance Accreditation brings national recognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement. It strengthens the museum profession by promoting practices that enable leaders to make informed decisions, allocate resources wisely, and remain financially and ethically accountable in order to provide the best possible service to the public. All museums must undergo a reaccreditation review at least every 10 years to maintain accredited status.

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READ:

MONTCLAIR ART MUSEUM GETS NOD TO CREATE OUTDOOR PUBLIC SPACE

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Accreditation is a very rigorous process that examines all aspects of a museum’s operations. To earn accreditation a museum first must conduct a year of self-study, and then undergo a site visit by a team of peer reviewers. AAM’s Accreditation Commission, an independent and autonomous body of museum professionals, considers the self-study and visiting committee report to determine whether a museum should receive accreditation.

Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, over 1070 are currently accredited. Montclair Art Museum is one of only nine museums accredited in New Jersey.