WASHINGTON, DC.- The American Association of Museums (AAM) is pleased to announce that 13 U.S. museums have been awarded accreditation. Accreditation strengthens individual museums and the profession as a whole by promoting ethical and professional practices that enable museum leaders to make informed decisions, allocate resources wisely, and remain accountable to the public.

AAM accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments and outside agencies, and to the museum-going public. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for almost 35 years, AAM’s museum accreditation program is the field’s primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation, and public accountability.

The following museums joined the distinguished list of accredited institutions: Augusta Museum of History, Augusta, Ga.; Middlebury College Museum of Art, Middlebury, Vt.; Silver City Museum, Silver City, N. Mex.

The following museums were awarded subsequent accreditation:American Airpower Heritage Museum, Midland, Tex.; Blanden Memorial Art Museum, Fort Dodge, Iowa; Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Hickory Museum of Art, Hickory, N.C.; Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, N.Y.; McFaddin-Ward House, Beaumont, Tex.;San Francisco Airport Museums, San Francisco, Calif.; Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, Calif.; The Strong Museum, Rochester, N.Y.; Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, Centerport, N.Y.

“Achieving accreditation is a testament to the hard work of a museum’s board and staff who are dedicated to the highest standards of the profession,” AAM President and CEO Edward H. Able, Jr. said. “AAM Accreditation is held in the highest regard by the museum field and funders of museums and demonstrates a museum’s commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards, and continued institutional improvement.”

Of the nation’s nearly 16,000 museums, more than 750 are currently accredited. It is a 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, then undergo a site visit by a team of peer reviewers. The museum professionals on AAM’s Accreditation Commission consider the self-study and visiting committee report to determine whether a museum should receive accreditation. While the time to complete the process varies by museum, it generally takes as much as three years and all accredited museums must undergo a complete review at least every 10 years.