The University of West Florida Pensacola Museum of Art has again achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition afforded to the nation’s museums.
Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, governments, funders, outside agencies and the museum-going public. The Pensacola Museum of Art was initially accredited in 2001. All museums must undergo a reaccreditation review at least every 10 years to maintain accredited status.
“Our staff strives to promote museum best practices, offer essential arts education to our community and provide enriching experiences for our visitors,” said Anna Wall, Chief Curator at the Pensacola Museum of Art. “This accreditation re-enforces the ongoing work outlined in our new strategic plan and our solid commitment to promote an open and inclusive space of discovery and dialogue rooted in art, ideas and culture.”
Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, less than 1,090 are currently accredited. The Pensacola Museum of Art is one of only 56 museums accredited in Florida.
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 and 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.”
The Pensacola Museum of Art is located at 407 S. Jefferson St. in historic downtown Pensacola and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
To learn more about the Pensacola Museum of Art, visit pensacolamuseum.org.
