Departmental News

Posted:  Mar 22, 2021 - 09:00am

The Maxwell Museum of Anthropology at The University of New Mexico has been reaccredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), an honor held by only about 8 percent of anthropology museums and 16 percent of university museums. The AAM is the leading professional organization of museums in the United States. Its mission is to champion museums and nurture excellence in all types of museums ranging from art museums to science centers, arboretums, and zoos. Since 1906 the AAM has developed best practices and advocated for museums.

The Maxwell was first accredited in 1973 and then again in 1984, 1997, and 2006. Accreditation is based on review of the five core documents (Mission Statement, Institutional Code of Ethics, Strategic Institutional Plan, Disaster Preparedness/Emergency Response Plan, and Collections Management Policy), as well as of a detailed self-study prepared by the Museum, and a site visit from a committee of two nationally recognized museum leaders.

Accreditation is an affirmation that museum meets standards and best practices of museum fields, and works to achieve its stated mission and goals, noted Maxwell director and professor of Anthropology Carla Sinopoli.

“Accreditation is important recognition that our peers recognize the contributions of the Maxwell Museum and our commitment to excellence,” she said. “In a practical sense, having this recognition is also valuable when we apply for external grants and other support to launch the many ongoing and new projects we are working on.” Read more