Museum Awarded AAM Accreditation
The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History has achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition afforded to the nation’s museums. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public.
Alliance 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 over fifty years, the Alliance’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 to provide the best possible service to the public.
“The accreditation decision is an affirmation and validation of all of the Museum’s growth and hard work since becoming an independent non-profit. We’ve spent more than 10 years refining our practices and systems to meet these rigorous national standards and we are excited and proud to have achieved this distinction,” says Susan Pearce, President of the Board of Directors.
Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, roughly 1,100 are currently accredited. The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History is one of only 78 museums accredited in California. “We are also honored to now be the only accredited museum in Santa Cruz County. This distinction will carry us into our Bright Future as we renovate the historic building to match our excellence in service,” said Felicia Van Stolk, Executive Director of the Museum.
The Museum, an independent non-profit, is currently raising funds to renovate, modernize, and expand Santa Cruz’s oldest museum. The Bright Future campaign will advance their mission through immersive exhibits, programs, and collections, sustaining and deepening the love of nature and learning held by all who visit. The renovation project will break ground in early 2027, with an anticipated completion in early 2029.
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. The Alliance’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.”
About the American Alliance of Museums
The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) is the only organization representing the entire museum field, from art and history museums to science centers and zoos. Since 1906, we have been championing museums through advocacy and providing museum professionals with the resources, knowledge, inspiration, and connections they need to move the field forward. For more information, visit aam-us.org.
