The Huntsville Museum of Art (HMA) was recently awarded re-accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM.) Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, governments, donors, outside agencies, and the museum-going public.
“We are thrilled to earn re-accreditation with AAM,” said Executive Director Christopher Madkour. “The Museum strives to bring world-class exhibits, events, and more to our wonderful community here in Huntsville.”
HMA was initially accredited in 1980. All museums must undergo a re-accreditation review at least every ten years to maintain accredited status. Re-accreditation means the Museum continues to meet national standards and best practices for U.S. Museums, remaining a member of a community of institutions that choose to hold themselves publicly accountable to excellence.
In addition to re-accreditation, the American Alliance of Museums commends the Huntsville Museum of Art’s commitment to inclusion and diversity and collaboration with Alabama Institute for the Deaf. AAM believes the Museum’s leadership on Black History Month could serve as a model for other institutions to follow.
The American Alliance of Museums has brought museums together since 1906 by developing 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. Accreditation by AAM 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. The Peer Reviewers met with Mayor Battle, who stressed the vital role the museum and other cultural venues in recruiting national and international companies and their employees to relocate to this area.
“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.”
The Huntsville Museum of Art is also celebrating 50 years of bringing people and art together in the Huntsville community.