FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Springfield, MO. (March 20, 2018) – The Springfield Art Museum is pleased to announce that it has earned accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums at the February 2018 meeting of the Accreditation Commission. Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, only 1,070 are accredited. The Springfield Art Museum is one of only 19 accredited museums in the state of Missouri, and is the only accredited museum in all of southern Missouri.
Museum Director Nick Nelson notes, “Moving through the process of accreditation has been a challenge and reward in and of itself. We found reference in Board meeting notes going back to the 1980s that reference a desire to achieve AAM accreditation. It is extremely gratifying to be able to bring this long-held intention to fruition. It is particularly meaningful for staff and Board to gain this milestone during our 90th anniversary year, in the midst of planning for our next 90 years of excellence in service to our community.”
As the ultimate mark of distinction in the museum field, accreditation signifies excellence and credibility to the entire museum community, to governments and outside agencies, and to the museum-going public. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for over 45 years, the museum accreditation program is the field’s primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation, and public accountability. Accreditation helps to ensure the integrity and accessibility of museum collections, reinforce the educational and public service roles of museums, and promote good governance practices and ethical behavior.
“Accredited museums are a community of institutions that have chosen to hold themselves publicly accountable to excellence,” says Laura 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.”
Accredited institutions enjoy not only national recognition for their commitment to excellence and the highest professional standards of museum operation and public service, they also receive increased credibility with funding agencies and donors, improved relationships with other museums resulting in more loans and travelling exhibitions, attract support for capital improvements, and are viewed as a better risk by the fine arts insurance industry.
The Springfield Art Museum is located at 1111 East Brookside Drive. Admission is always free. Donations are gratefully accepted.
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The Springfield Art Museum is Springfield, Missouri’s oldest cultural institution, founded in 1928. A department of the City of Springfield, the Museum invites you to connect with the world, your community, and yourself through active engagement with art objects. For more information, please visit www.sgfmuseum.org
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
