The Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia was recently reaccredited by the American Alliance of Museums (formerly known as the American Association of Museums), an honor that less than 5 percent of U.S. museums receive. To celebrate this achievement, GMOA will be open to the public Oct. 22 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., with an official announcement at 2 p.m. by Ford Bell, president of AAM and an ice cream social to follow. The event is free and open to the public.
Reaccreditation is a lengthy process, involving a self-study that GMOA worked on for several years and a site visit lasting several days, during which AAM representatives toured the facility from top to bottom, met with university upper administration and interviewed staff members, volunteers, students and patrons of the museum. Only 16 percent of university museums are accredited, and applying for it is no guarantee it will be received.
In her letter notifying the museum of reaccreditation, Bonnie Styles, chair of the accreditation commission, wrote, “We applaud the museum’s new facilities, which are exceptionally well designed for programs and mission delivery and appear to accommodate the needs of both the students and the public. The museum excels at innovative programs and audience engagement and offers excellent publications and programs that support its mission. We also commend efforts to increase scholarship for students and academics through the four research centers and colloquia, such as the decorative arts symposium.”
Libby V. Morris, associate provost for academic affairs at UGA, said, “The reaccreditation process is a long and challenging one, and I add my congratulations to Bill Eiland and the entire museum staff on this wonderful achievement. Bill has assembled a highly professional staff of curators, art educators and other skilled personnel, and thanks to their excellent work, GMOA is one of the leading academic museums in the nation.”
Carl Mullis, who chairs the museum’s Board of Advisors, said, “The reaccreditation confirms the significant growth the Georgia Museum of Art has achieved over the past decade. Thanks to the skill, hard work and dedication of the museum’s staff, the generosity and help of the museum’s patrons, and the vision and support of the University of Georgia’s administration, especially President Michael Adams and Provost Jere Morehead, the Georgia Museum of Art has become one of the best university art museums in the country. The museum has an essential role in the education of thousands of students and greatly enriches the lives of the citizens of Athens and the state of Georgia. The museum’s staff and its many supporters are committed to making GMOA even greater during the next decade.”
AAM is the one organization that supports all museums. Through advocacy and excellence, it strengthens the museum community. It supports 21,000 museums, individuals and companies by developing standards and best practices, providing resources and career development and advocating for museums to thrive.
Museum Information
Partial support for the exhibitions and programs at the Georgia Museum of Art is provided by the Georgia Council for the Arts through appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. The council is a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Individuals, foundations and corporations provide additional museum support through their gifts to the University of Georgia Foundation. The Georgia Museum of Art is located in the Performing and Visual Arts Complex on the East Campus of the University of Georgia. The address is 90 Carlton Street, Athens, Ga. 30602-6719. For more information, including hours, see http://www.georgiamuseum.org or call 706/542-GMOA (4662).
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