News & Past Events

Muscatine Art Center Receives Highest National Recognition

December 27, 2006
Muscatine Art Center Receives Highest National Recognition Awarded Re-Accreditation from the American Association of Museums
Muscatine, Iowa, December 22, 2006– The Muscatine Art Center has again achieved accreditation by the American Association of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition for a museum. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, donors, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public. The Muscatine Art Center was initially accredited in 1993. All museums must undergo a reaccreditation review at least every ten years to maintain accredited status.
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 35 years, 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 in order to provide the best possible service to the public.
Of the nation’s nearly 17,500 museums about 775 are currently accredited. The Muscatine Art Center is one of only 20 museums accredited in Iowa.
“Accredited museums are publicly committed to upholding and sustaining the highest standards and practices in the museum community,” said Kim Igoe, AAM’s Interim President and CEO. ” The Muscatine Art Center is a proven leader in the museum field in providing the best possible museum services and experiences, reminding both their peers and the public exactly how much museums really matter to their communities.”
Accreditation 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, then undergo a site visit by a team of peer reviewers. AAM’s Accreditation Commission, an independent and autonomous body of museum professionals, 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.
"The Muscatine Art Center director, staff and Board of Trustees are to be commended for their continued commitment to the Muscatine community and to the Muscatine Art Center for their collaborative leadership in completing the rigorous AAM acceditation process. The high standards and ongoing practices inherent in the AAM process clearly verify the level of excellence found at the Muscatine Art Center." -Board President Mary Wildermuth
The Muscatine Art Center is a department of the City of Muscatine and is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue. Admission is free. Art Center hours are: Tuesday – Friday 10am-5pm; Thursday evening 7-9pm; Saturday and Sunday 1-5pm. Closed Holidays.
Press Contact: Barbara Longtin, Director (563) 263-8282 barbl@muscanet.com