The Springfield Museums are proud to announce their reaccreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) – the highest national recognition for museums. Only 3% of the nation’s 33,000 museums can claim this distinction.

Museums’ President and CEO Kay Simpson shared the news during a media event on Friday in the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts. Congressman Richard Neal, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, and a number of state and local legislators were on hand for the announcement.

“Reaccreditation signifies the pinnacle of achievement in the museum field,” said Simpson. “Only museums that adhere to the highest standards in ethics, stewardship, community engagement, and innovation receive this honor. This is a proud moment for the Museums, our city and the region.”

“As the gold standard for arts and culture in our region, the Springfield Museums is a beloved member of the Springfield community, one whose success I have taken a keen interest in throughout my career,” said Congressman Richard Neal. “This reaccreditation from the American Alliance of Museums is a testimony to the dedication of Kay Simpson and her team to cultivate an environment for creativity and innovation. The five museums and the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden are institutions of learning for visitors of all ages. With this reaccreditation, we invite everyone to experience the world-class museums we have right here in the City of Springfield.”

Founded in 1906, the AAM is the only organization representing the entire museum field, from art and history museums to science centers and zoos. It began accrediting U.S. Museums in 1971.

Recognized as the gold standard for museum excellence, AAM accreditation signifies a museum’s quality and credibility to the museum community, to governments and outside agencies, and to the museum-going public. It ensures the integrity and accessibility of museum collections, reinforces the educational and public service roles of museums, and promotes good governance practices and ethical behavior.

The Springfield Museums were initially accredited in 2013; to maintain the distinction, museums must undergo a reaccreditation review every 10 years.

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. At the Springfield Museums, this site visit occurred in August 2023, when AAM peer reviewers visited the Quadrangle, spending time in each of the five museums and meeting with staff, administrators, and Trustees.

The reviewers submitted their report to the AAM’s Accreditation Commission, an independent and autonomous body of museum professionals, which then analyzed both the report and the self-study to make the accreditation decision.

In that report, the AAM cited numerous areas in which the Springfield Museums excel, including the emphasis on early literacy across the five-museum campus, as well as in core documents such as the Collections Plan and governance manual.

“These are outstanding examples of thoughtful documents, crafted collaboratively between staff and Trustees, that are models for other museums,” the report said.

In the concluding section of the report, the reviewers wrote: “The Springfield Museums’ leading-edge research at the boyhood home of Ted Geisel, the unique relationship with the Smithsonian Institution, and their deep commitment to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion efforts that permeate every aspect of their goals and mission make them one of the exemplary organizations in the field.”

“Reaccreditation will help the Museums continue to build more momentum to achieve our strategic goals,” Simpson said. “We are so excited about the future, and strongly believe the best is yet to come.”

About the American Alliance of Museums

The American Alliance of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. Representing more than 35,000 individual museum professionals and volunteers, institutions, and corporate partners serving the museum field, the Alliance stands for the broad scope of the museum community. For more information, visit www.aam-us.org.

Image: Springfield Museums President Kay Simpson (holding reaccreditation certificate) is flanked by (from left) State Rep. Carlos Gonzalez (D-10th, Hampden); U.S. Rep. Richard Neal; Cynthia Campbell, Chair of the Museums’ Board of Trustees; Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno; and State Sen. Adam Gomez (D-Hampden). (Photo by Ed Cohen)