MAP vs. Accreditation

MAP and the Accreditation Program are both tools that museums can use to assess their operations, compare themselves to similar institutions, and evaluate themselves against standards and best practices in the museum field. Both use a process of self-assessment and peer review to achieve these ends.

However, there are significant differences in the purposes and outcomes for the two programs. You can explore some of these differences in the following chart:

	MAP	Accreditation
The purpose of the program is to:	Provide collegial, consultative feedback that the museum can use to set priorities and identify needs for change.	Recognize museums for excellence and high professsional standards, public service, leadership and educational role. Promote quality and public accountability, certify that museum operates according to the current best practices.
The purpose of self-assessment is to:	Help museum staff and members of the governing authority share information, test assumptions and try new ways of operating, as well as providing the MAP Surveyor with information.	Provide a framework for an overall evaluation, catalyze strategic planning, and engage staff and board to focus on mission/goals; provides the Visiting Committee and Accreditation Commission in-depth information about the museum's operations.
The purpose of peer review is to:	Provide the museum with information on how their operations measure up to standards and best practices in the field, with ideas on how they might address their current challenges, and on what resources might be of help to them.	Verify for the Accreditation Commission that the museum operates as reported in its self-study and meets the program requirements; and, for the museum, provide an outside perspective on strengths and weaknesses. Visiting Committee members' role is not to provide specific recommendations to the museum on how to improve operations or rectify problems.
The outcome of the program is that:	Museums completing MAP have two new resources, their self-study and an Assessment Report from their Surveyor(s), that help them engage in planning and identify opportunities for improvement.	Museums that apply for Accreditation are either: - granted accreditation - tabled for the purpose of clarifying information or correcting deficiencies - denied accreditation