Historic Annapolis has again achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition afforded to the nation’s museums. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public. Historic Annapolis has been accredited since 1980. All museums must undergo a reaccreditation review at least every 10 years to maintain accredited status.
Accreditation brings national recognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for 50 years, AAM’s museum accreditation program is the field’s primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation and public accountability. 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.
“I am so proud to share that HA has passed the re-accreditation process with flying colors!, says Karen Theimer Brown, President & CEO of Historic Annapolis. “It is a true testament to the amazing talent of our hard-working staff and their commitment to providing preservation services, educational programs, and museum exhibitions of the highest caliber.”
Accreditation is a very rigorous but highly rewarding 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.
“Accredited museums are a community of institutions that have chosen to hold themselves publicly accountable to excellence,” says Laura L. Lott, AAM President and CEO. “Accreditation is clearly a significant achievement, of which both the institutions and the communities they serve can be extremely proud.”
Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, only 3% are currently accredited. Historic Annapolis is one of just 18 museums accredited in Maryland (five of which are located in Annapolis). HA’s four historic sites open to the public – the Museum of Historic Annapolis, the William Paca House and Garden, Hogshead, and Waterfront Warehouse – are all included in the accreditation.
