AAM is in the process of evaluating how best to reinvent its nearly 40-year old museum accreditation program to better support the museum community, be more relevant and accessible, and expand participation and benefits. Watch this page for updates on the project.

February 2011:
Twenty-six members of the museum field convened in Chicago on February 7th and 8th, 2011 for two intense days of self directed activities, plenary discussions, and breakout sessions devoted to rethinking accreditation. Participants explored, debated, and discussed many key areas vital to defining a new accreditation model—scope, value proposition, approach/structure for decision-making, process, recognition model alternatives, decision-making frameworks, and collaboration strategies—and made recommendations about each. They also suggested tactics to carry convening discussions and decisions forward, such as task forces dedicated to various topics.

The attendee mix included representatives from accredited and non-accredited museums, a variety of museum sizes and types, leadership from discipline specific associations and IMLS, independent professionals, Accreditation Commissioners, MAP Advisory Committee members, and peer reviewers. The convening was a great success. Some of the words participants used to characterize it included: open, exciting, productive, worthwhile, well organized, thought-provoking, fun, and intense but proactive. AAM worked with McKinsey & Company to develop the content, outcomes, and structure of the convening. A report on the convening outcomes and decisions will be made available to the field this spring. Immediate next steps include board and Accreditation Commission review of the findings and planning for next steps based on the outcomes.

“An accessible, meaningful accreditation program is perhaps the most significant step we can take toward creating a true museum field, united by common standards and best practices,” said AAM president Ford W. Bell at the convening’s conclusion.

The Chicago 26 had wide-ranging goals for the future of accreditation. Some of the adjectives used by participants to describe the ultimate outcome included:
  • Achievable
  • Rigorous
  • Transparent
  • Inclusive
  • User-friendly
  • Streamlined
  • Efficient
  • Relevant to all museums

As the two-day summit progressed, the discussions illustrated the array of opinions and concerns regarding the accreditation program. Participants described the wide-ranging conversations this way:
  • Productive
  • Challenging
  • Exciting
  • Provocative
  • Frank
  • Open
  • Intense

At its end, this convening resulted in a consensus on the objectives of a re-invented accreditation program:
  • Increase participation among all types and sizes of museums
  • An enhanced value proposition
  • Improve museums’ return on investment
  • Cost-effective
  • Clarity
  • Retention of quality standards


Download a 4 page (PDF) summary of the convening: "Framework for the 21st Century Accreditation Program Emerging"