Accreditation

Accredited

Nationally Recognized

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Please Touch Museum was awarded reaccreditation from the American Alliance of Museums through 2033, signifying excellence in the museum field and commitment to the highest professional standards.

Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, 1,103 are currently accredited and less than 1% are children’s or youth museums.

The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) accreditation program is the field’s primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation, and public accountability. Accreditation is achieved through a rigorous self-assessment and review by peers, proving they are appropriate stewards of the collections and resources they hold in the public trust.

Recognized as the museum field’s gold standard for excellence for over 50 years, AAM accreditation ensures the integrity and accessibility of Please Touch Museum’s collections, the educational standards it provides to the public, and the proper governance and ethical practices followed by the Board of Trustees and management team.

Highlights from the Accreditation Report:

• As one of a handful of children’s museums maintaining artifact collections, Please Touch Museum (PTM) excels at integrating artifacts into exhibit spaces.
• The expanded and strengthened Community Advisory Council meets with Museum leaders monthly for substantive conversations designed to increase understanding of what the community needs from the Museum.
• Asking what would make PTM a “must have” essential community building block is an exemplary planning practice worthy of replication, and its resulting solution-driven programs and initiatives such as its Kindergarten Readiness Program demonstrates the transformative potential of this question.
• Outside-the-box strategies including recruiting local and national university research partners and utilizing research results to direct program planning is worthy of replication.
• PTM displayed ample evidence of serving diverse populations and of committing substantial resources to Museum access and inclusion including numerous free and reduced admission programs and special exhibits aimed at cultural understanding.
• PTM’s greatest strengths are undoubtedly their leadership and the role they are playing in the community. They stand in excellent position to serve as a model for other museums nationally in both arenas.
• There was a sense of shared mission throughout our interactions with all constituents of PTM, from gallery staff to porters and security, and from management and trustees to community members.