Discovery Place has again achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition for a museum in the United States. This recognition affirms Discovery Place’s continued commitment to excellence, accountability and the highest professional standards in the museum field.
Of the estimated 33,000 museums across the country, only about 1,100 are currently accredited. Science and technology museums make up just 3% of this elite group and children’s museums represent fewer than 1%.
The museums in Discovery Place’s network — Discovery Place Science, Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville, Discovery Place Kids-Rockingham and the former Discovery Place Nature—are among just 28 museums in North Carolina to hold accredited status.
“Being reaccredited by the American Alliance of Museums is a tremendous honor and a reflection of the hard work, dedication and passion of Discovery Place’s employees, board members and volunteers,” said Catherine Wilson Horne, Discovery Place President & CEO. “This achievement reaffirms our deep connection to the communities we serve and commitment to providing meaningful, high-quality experiences for learners of all ages.”
Discovery Place has maintained AAM accreditation since 1973, reaffirming its dedication to continuous improvement and its mission to bring science, nature and design together to create transformative experiences that enable the community to understand, enjoy and apply science to their lives.
The AAM 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 to provide the best possible service to the public. 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 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.
“Accreditation is a monumental achievement,” said Marilyn Jackson, AAM President & CEO. “The process demonstrates an institution’s commitment to best practice and is flexible enough to be accomplished by museums of any size.”
