EUGENE, Ore. -- (Aug. 11, 2011) -- The University of Oregon's Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art has again achieved accreditation by the American Association of Museums (AAM) - the highest national recognition for a museum. The UO museum is one of just six in Oregon to receive AAM accreditation.
The honor signifies excellence to the museum community, governments, funders, outside agencies and the museum-going public.
"We are thrilled to be re-accredited," said Jill Hartz, the Schnitzer museum's executive director. "All of our staff, volunteers, and so many others at the university and in our community participated in the planning that led to this award. It's great to celebrate such an important achievement with our growing and dedicated museum family."
The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art was initially accredited in 1975, and until recently was re-accredited through a review process every 10 years. AAM accreditation is now conferred for a 15-year period.
Just 775 of an estimated 17,500 museums in the U.S. are currently accredited. The other AAM-accredited museums in Oregon are the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum in The Dalles, Astoria's Columbia River Maritime Museum, The High Desert Museum in Bend, and the Oregon History Museum and the Portland Art Museum, both in Portland.
"The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art took it upon itself to see how it measures up against the highest standards in the museum field and it not only met those standards, it far exceeded them," said AAM president Ford W. Bell. "Re-accreditation puts the Jordan Schnitzer on a par with other accredited museums such as The Getty in Los Angeles, the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco and the Smithsonian in Washington.
"The people of Eugene and the students at the University of Oregon can take great pride in the fact that they have in their midst one of the best museums in the country."
The AAM's 40-year-old museum accreditation program is the field's primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation and public accountability. It promotes practices that enable leaders to make informed decisions, wisely allocate resources and remain financially and ethically accountable.
To earn accreditation, a museum must conduct a year of self-study, then undergo a site visit by a team of peer reviewers. AAM'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. The process varies by museum, but generally takes as long as three years.
About the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art
The University of Oregon's Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art is a premier Pacific Northwest visual arts center for exhibitions and collections of historic and contemporary art based in a major university setting. The mission of the museum is to enhance the University of Oregon's academic mission and to further the appreciation and enjoyment of the visual arts for the general public. The JSMA features significant collections galleries devoted to Russian icons and art from China, Japan, Korea, America and elsewhere as well as changing special exhibition galleries. The JSMA is one of six museums in Oregon accredited by the American Association of Museums.
The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art is located on the University of Oregon campus at 1430 Johnson Lane. Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays through Sundays. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for senior citizens. Free admission is given to ages 18 and under, JSMA members, college students with ID, and University of Oregon faculty, staff and students. For information, contact the JSMA, 541-346-3027.
About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is among the 108 institutions chosen from 4,633 U.S. universities for top-tier designation of "Very High Research Activity" in the 2010 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The UO also is one of two Pacific Northwest members of the Association of American Universities.
About the American Association of Museums
The American Association 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. With more than 15,000 individual, 3,000 institutional, and 300 corporate members, AAM is dedicated to ensuring that museums remain a vital part of the American landscape, connecting people with the greatest achievements of the human experience, past, present and future. For more information, visit www.aam-us.org.
Contact: Debbie Williamson Smith, 541-346-0942, debbiews@uoregon.edu
Link: Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, http://jsma.uoregon.edu