Montclair Art Museum Earns Prestigious Accreditation

MONTCLAIR, NJ — It’s one of only nine New Jersey museums accredited by the American Alliance of Museums: the Montclair Art Museum (MAM).

On Tuesday, the MAM announced that it has once again achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), a benchmark for success in the field. It was first accredited in 1973 by the AAM’s predecessor, the American Association of Museums.

Here’s why it’s a big deal, museum staff say:

“Alliance accreditation brings national recognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement. 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.”

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. All museums must undergo a re-accreditation review at least every 10 years to maintain accredited status.

“We are so honored and excited to receive this recognition,” Montclair Art Museum Director Lora Urbanelli said. “Having the hard work of the staff and board of MAM recognized for their accomplishments is very satisfying.”

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