Awarded Re-Accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums
The Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS) has been reaccredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), 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. MODS has been accredited by AAM for the past three decades.
“We are thrilled to be recognized with this mark of distinction by our peers in the museum field, which validates the high caliber of MODS’ operations and community impact,” said Joseph P. Cox, president and CEO of MODS. “This reaccreditation is emblematic of the excellent work and dedication of the Museum’s board, staff, members and volunteers to connect people to inspiring science.”
AAM 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 50 years, the Alliance’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 in order to provide the best possible service to the public.
Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums only 1,103 are currently accredited. MODS is one of only 3% of the nation’s science museums accredited.
All museums must undergo a reaccreditation review at least every 10 years to maintain accredited status. Accreditation is a very rigorous but highly rewarding process that examines all aspects of a museum’s operations. To earn accreditation, a museum must first conduct a year of self-study, 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.”
