AAM Accreditation Process

What is the American Association of Museums (AAM)?
The AAM has been serving the museum community and its public for nearly one hundred years. In its own words (from page iii of A Higher Standard: The Museum Accreditation
Handbook, AAM, 2005), the American Association of Museums:

“…is dedicated to promoting excellence within the museum
community. Through advocacy, professional education,
accreditation, and guidance on how to achieve current professional
standards of performance, AAM helps museum staffs, boards,
and volunteers across the country serve the public.”

To learn more about the AAM, visit their website: www.aam-us.org; write to AAM, 1575 Eye St. N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20005; or call them at (202) 289-1818.

What is AAM Accreditation?
AAM has run its accreditation program since 1971. Today only slightly more than 750 museums have achieved this nationally recognized rigorous standard. Run by museum professionals who apply their knowledge of the field to developing and overseeing the program, AAM accreditation reflects best practices in the museum field. A museum that receives AAM accreditation follows modern museum standards, pursues ethical practices, and is continually assessing itself to be sure that it improves and continues to serve its mission and its public. AAM accreditation is not a lifetime award but must be reassessed about every ten years, a tough job for any busy museum.

What is the Accreditation Process?
Step One: Applying to start the process
A museum completes an application questionnaire that allows the AAM accreditation program staff to determine if the institution is eligible to start the process. MNA sent its accreditation application to the AAM in December, 2004 and was accepted into the accreditation program in February, 2005. This acceptance meant that that MNA could continue in the accreditation process.

Step Two: The Self-Study
Once accepted to proceed through the accreditation process, a museum receives the self-study packet. As the AAM states (from AAM website, 12/1/05):

“The Self-Study is a detailed questionnaire, based on the Characteristics
of an Accreditable Museum designed to gather basic information about
all aspects of operations and programs through objective and subjective
questions and supporting documentation.”

One year from the date that this packet has been sent the museum must send in its completed, lengthy, and in-depth self-study to the AAM. The MNA received its Self-Study packet in September 2005. The self-study and all supporting documents must be returned to the AAM accreditation program staff by September of 2006 to proceed through the process.

The Accreditation Office staff reviews the self-study submission to determine if all materials are present and in the correct form. The museum would then be notified of this within 3 to 4 months. If questions arise, the museum would respond with the appropriate documents or clarification.

MNA completed and submitted its Self-Study ahead of schedule in August 2006.  MNA received interim accreditation on March 26, 2007 and received full accreditation on August 8, 2008.

Step Three: Interim Approval – First Accreditation Commission Review
Once complete, the museum’s self-study is placed on the agenda of one of three regularly scheduled meetings of the AAM Accreditation Commission. This commission reviews the self-study and takes one of several possible actions:
--Grants interim approval: This allows the next step in the process to occur,
the assignment of a Visiting Committee to the museum.
--Tables the application for 6 or 12 months: Further information or clarification
is required or the correction of specific deficiencies. When these actions
have occurred and the Commission’s concerns have been resolved, then
the museum may go to the next step in the review process, the assignment
of a Visiting Committee to the museum.
--Denies interim approval: Interim approval is generally denied because the
museum proves ineligible for accreditation, such as, it fails to meet the
eligibility requirements or there are one or more areas of concern
preventing the museum from satisfactorily meeting the characteristics
of an accreditable museum. The museum must withdraw from the
accreditation program but may appeal the decision.
--Defers its decision: Only rarely does the Accreditation Committee defer its
decision until the next scheduled commission meeting. This is usually
when it needs more information or clarification.

Step Four: Visiting Committee Site Visit
At the time of interim approval, a list of potential Visiting Committee members, plus their professional museum biographical information, is sent to the museum in preparation for the on-site evaluation. The director is asked to state the museum’s preferences and comments on the form and return it to the Accreditation Office by the specified due date (within one month). The AAM Accreditation Office then requests that one of the approved candidates become the chair of the Visiting Committee. Many of these candidates are themselves museum directors or senior museum staff so selecting a chair can sometimes take up to 12 months. The chair will select the second visiting reviewer from the museum approved list and contact the museum to schedule a two-day visit. Scheduling may also take up to one year to arrange due to busy schedules.

December 2007 update: The AAM has selected the MNA Accreditation Visiting Committee. The members are Gary Edson, Texas Tech University; and Molly Lowell, the Mercer Museum. The Visiting Committee visited MNA March 31 - April 1, 2008.

The Visiting Committee is charged to verify that the museum’s operations and practices reflect those described in the self-study, not to give advice when they are on-site. The team tours the facilities and collections, meets with the director, and interviews selected staff members and representatives of the governing authority (in the case of the MNA, the Board of Trustees).
Within four to six weeks after their museum visit, the Visiting Committee prepares a narrative report which details its observations about the museum. The committee also provides its confidential and advisory conclusion to the AAM Accreditation Commission on whether to grant initial accreditation.

Step Five: The Final Accreditation Commission Decision
Once the Visiting Committee report and all self-study and supporting materials are received by the Accreditation Office, the museum is placed on the agenda of the Accreditation Commission’s next scheduled meeting. The Commission reviews all materials. They do not base their decision solely on the Visiting Committee recommendation. The Commission takes one of the following actions:
--Grants accreditation
--Tables accreditation: Tabling results from a need for the museum to correct
a deficiency, to provide more information to the Commission and/or to
clarify a point of inquiry. It may also require a second on-site visit. The
tabling period can be until the next Commission meeting or up to 12
months.
--Denies accreditation: If serous problems are found making the museum unable
to meet the characteristics of an accreditable museum, the museum is denied accreditation. This can be appealed within 60 days.

After the Commission’s meeting, a letter is sent to the museum with its official notification. The Visiting Committee’s narrative report is also forwarded to the museum.

Reaccreditation:
Once accredited, all museums are expected to exhibit the characteristics of an accreditable museum, maintain current professional standards and practices, and work to keep pace with them as they improve. To maintain accredited status, all accredited museums are required to undergo a subsequent accreditation review within ten years, unless the initial accreditation was for less than ten years.

How long does this whole process take?
The entire process from application to be accredited to final decision by the AAM Accreditation Commission can take three to four years.

What will accreditation cost the MNA?
The following are some of the costs for the accreditation process:

Application fee: $400
Annual fee during process: $200
Support of visiting team (2 members): generally from $1,500 to $2,700
Miscellaneous costs for copies of documents, photography, and mailing

The AAM recognizes that accreditation is a valuable process for a museum to undergo and also recognizes the expense and limited budgets of most institutions. Therefore, they
subsidize about half of the cost for accreditation.

Why should the MNA bother with accreditation?
If the accreditation process can take nearly four years, cost several thousand dollars, and consume the scarce and valuable time of its director, governing body, and staff, why should the MNA bother with accreditation?

By participating in the AAM accreditation process the MNA assesses itself as to its level of professional museum standards, scope and quality of its institutional plan, integration of its activities with its stated mission, and involves itself in open dialog with its governing body, staff, and interested public. The nearly 35 years of AAM involvement in accrediting museums has resulted in the following list of benefits of accreditation (from: A Higher Standard: The Museum Accreditation Handbook, p. 23).

Credibility and Accountability:
• National recognition of a museum’s commitment to excellence and the highest
professional standards of museum operation and public service
• Positive public image and validation of a museum’s work and accomplishments
• Increased credibility with funding agencies and donors
• Demonstration of fulfilling the museum’s obligation to the public trust
Clearer Sense of Purpose:
• Clearer understanding among the governing authority, staff, and stakeholders of a museum’s mission, strengths, goals, and priorities
• Reflection by staff and board on how they do their work
Leverage and Support:
• A valuable tool in lobbying local and state governments
• Improved relationships with other museums resulting in more loans and traveling exhibitions
• A way to leverage support for capital improvements
Sustainability and a Stronger Institution:
• Fostering of sustained organizational development and improvement
• A governing authority that is better educated about museum standards
• Increased level of professionalism

A Short History of MNA Accreditation
A message from MNA’s Director, Dr. Robert Breunig:

Why Is Accreditation Important to the Museum of Northern Arizona?

“Since its founding in 1928 the Museum of Northern Arizona has exemplified leadership. It was the first private museum in Arizona and one of the earliest in the West. It had early and significant programs in regional research, art education and collections. Over its 76 year history the museum has developed a major regional collection, advanced research about the Colorado Plateau, sponsored innovative educational programs and presented award winning exhibitions and publications. The museum was one of the first institutions in Arizona to be awarded AAM accreditation, receiving this status in 1973, just two years after the establishment of the accreditation program. Since then, it has received two subsequent reaccreditations.

On December 3rd 2003, the Accreditation Commission revoked the accreditation of the museum. The fundamental reason for this action was because in April 2002 the board of the museum sold 21 pieces from its collections to finance an operating deficit. This action violated the museum’s own collection policies. This move by the board and several other controversial actions, including the closing of the museum’s geology department, led to a revolt of museum’s membership which sought the resignation of the museum board and director. On July 26, 2003, at a special meeting of the museum’s membership, the entire board resigned and was replaced by a new board elected by the membership. The director (acting director) also resigned and the deputy director subsequently left the museum.

The new board set about to restore the core programs, values and integrity of the museum. A new director, Robert Breunig was appointed in October, 2003 and started working part-time on December 6, 2003 and fulltime in January, 2004.

The loss of accreditation was a significant event in the life of this museum. It particularly saddened the members of the new board who had worked so hard to restore the museum. The new administration stated that the museum would operate according to the highest professional standards “as if it were an accredited institution”. The administration and board also stated their intention to regain accreditation as soon as possible.

Accreditation is important to the Museum of Northern Arizona at this point in its history for several reasons. With a new board and administration it is critical time to do a thorough institutional assessment. While that assessment began in 2004, the accreditation process, particularly the self-study, will provide an ideal frame work for a complete institutional evaluation. It is also important for the museum to assure its peers, its members, its donors and its public that it is operating in a manner consistent with high professional standards. Following the instability and damage to the museum’s reputation deriving from the 2002 sale of collections, the museum seeks to return to the community of accredited institutions as a confident and proud museum. We not only want to restore our museum to the best practices of the field, we want to restore our good name.”

The Museum of Northern Arizona received AAM accreditation on August 8, 2008.

For Further Information About AAM Accreditation
If you would like to find out more about the AAM accreditation process please visit the MNA library and ask to see the non-circulating reserve copies of the following AAM accreditation publications:

--A Higher Standard: Manual #1 The Museum Accreditation Handbook
--A Higher Standard: Manual #2 Museum Accreditation Program Standards
--A Higher Standard: Manual #3 Accreditation Self-Study Guide
--A Higher Standard: Manual #4 Accreditation Self-Study Questionnaire

You will find the AAM list of “Characteristics of an Accreditable Museum” in Manual #1 above, pages 14 and 15.

The MNA library is located on the research side of the campus in building #9 (the old administration building). Please call the MNA library (telephone (928) 774-5211 x256) for days and hours when it is open.

American Association of Museums information and AAM accreditation information is also available at www.aam-us.org.

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