ALEXANDRIA, La. (WNTZ) – The Alexandria Museum of Art (AMoA) has again achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition afforded the nation’s museums. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, governments, funders, outside agencies, and the museum-going public. AMoA was initially accredited in the mid-1980s and was one of the first accredited museums in Louisiana. It was last re-accredited in 2013.
Alliance Accreditation recognizes a museum’s commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards, and continuous institutional improvement. Developed and maintained by museum professionals for 50 years, the Alliance’s museum accreditation program is the primary means for ensuring quality assurance, self-regulation, and public accountability in the museum field. It strengthens the museum profession by promoting practices that enable leaders to make informed decisions, allocate resources wisely, and remain financially and ethically accountable, thereby providing the best possible service to the public.
“After completing the rigorous process to maintain our accreditation, we are excited to make this announcement also confirming that we have come through the challenges of the last few years and remain a strong arts anchor in our community,” said Catherine Pears, Executive Director of AMoA. “The Museum staff and board are proud of the work we do here at AMoA as we seek to be a dynamic institution that makes a positive impact on current and future generations in Central Louisiana.”
Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, nearly 1,080 are currently accredited. The Alexandria Museum of Art is one of only 23 museums accredited in Louisiana.
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,” said Laura L. Lott, Alliance President and CEO. “Accreditation is clearly a significant achievement, of which both the institutions and the communities they serve can be extremely proud.”
About the Alexandria Museum of Art:
The Alexandria Museum of Art fosters a healthy and culturally rich community by embracing change and using the power of art to educate, inspire and heal. The museum entices visitors of diverse tastes with rotating exhibitions of art from our permanent collection, traveling exhibitions from around the world, and exceptional contemporary artists. Educational and community programs are implemented to complement exhibitions. In an effort to become self-sufficient and sustainable, the Alexandria Museum of Art endeavors to establish programming that is collaborative in nature, beneficial to the community, and advances our mission.
Currently on view through June 17, 2023: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT II is a traveling museum exhibition produced by David J. Wagner, L.L.C., the purpose of which is 1.) to recognize, document, and share the work of leading contemporary artists who chose to focus their work on global as well as local environmental issues; 2.) to heighten public awareness and concern about the intentional or unintentional consequences of human action or inaction, through the power of this art.
About the American Alliance of Museums The American Alliance of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. Representing more than 35,000 individual museum professionals and volunteers, institutions, and corporate partners serving the museum field, the Alliance stands for the broad scope of the museum community. For more information, visit www.aam-us.org.