Buffalo, NY – The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) announced that the Buffalo Museum of Science (BMS) has again achieved accreditation, the highest national recognition afforded to the nation’s museums. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public. The BMS has been consistently accredited since its first accreditation in 1979. AAM’s accreditation program began in 1971.
Alliance Accreditation brings national recognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for over fifty years, the AAM’s museum accreditation program is the field’s primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation, and public accountability. It strengthens the museum profession by promoting practices that enable leaders to make informed decisions, allocate resources wisely, and remain financially and ethically accountable to provide the best possible service to the public.
“Accreditation is a monumental achievement,” said Marilyn Jackson, AAM President & CEO. “The process demonstrates an institution’s commitment to best practice and is flexible enough to be accomplished by museums of any size.”
Accreditation 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 before undergoing 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.
The Accreditation Commission can make one of the following decisions:
• Grant accreditation (usually for 10 years)
• Table its decision for 1 year while specific issues can be addressed
• Deny accreditation due to failure to meet multiple Core Standards
• Defer a decision to gather additional information
The BMS received accreditation after its initial review.
BMS President and CEO Gary Siddall made his transition to the museum at the beginning of its self-study and credits the Museum staff for positioning the organization for a smooth and successful review process.
“We are honored to be recognized for our continued commitment to excellence by the American Alliance of Museums, and reaccreditation serves as another significant milestone in our organization’s storied history,” says Siddall. “I’m continuously impressed by the talent, passion, and professionalism of our team. Their commitment to the organization is at the heart of what makes the Buffalo Museum of Science one of the leading cultural and educational assets in our region.”
The BMS’s visiting committee report reads that the Buffalo Museum of Science is at an exciting inflection point under Siddall’s leadership. The report states, “We anticipate that in 5 to 10 years this will be a model for museums of this kind.”
Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, roughly 1,116 are currently accredited. The BMS is one of only four museums accredited in the city of Buffalo, and among 68 museums accredited across New York State.
The BMS will be up for reaccreditation again in 2035.
###
About the American Alliance of Museums
The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) is the only organization representing the entire museum field, from art and history museums to science centers and zoos. Since 1906, we have been championing museums through advocacy and providing museum professionals with the resources, knowledge, inspiration, and connections they need to move the field forward. For more information, visit aam-us.org.
