National Association Accredits National Museum
of Civil War Medicine
FREDERICK, Md. - The National Museum of Civil
War Medicine (NMCWM) was recently granted full accreditation
by the Accreditation Commission of the American Association
of Museums. Less than 10 percent of the nation's 15,000 museums
have attained AAM accreditation and the NMCWM is the first museum
in Frederick County to have received this honor.
Recently retired executive director JaNeen M. Smith said, "We
were absolutely elated when we were notified of the commission's
decision." She said, "By giving national recognition
to museums, accreditation increases institutional pride and
confirms a sense of shared professionalism in the museum field
as a whole. Most important, accreditation affirms a museum's
excellence in public service."
Accreditation requires an ongoing commitment to change and a
significant investment of time and resources from all departments
and levels of the institution's staff and leadership. It signifies
that the institution is operating on all levels according to
the highest and most current professional standards and practices,
and that it fulfills its obligation to the public as articulated
in its mission statement.
Smith said the increased public credibility attracts volunteers,
visitors, contributions, artifact loans, and traveling exhibitions.
Internally, the rigorous process builds teamwork within the
institution, which also emerges from the process with a clearer
sense of purpose and understanding of its strengths, goals,
priorities and mission.
The NMCWM, which did not have a facility until 1994, is one
of the youngest museums in the nation to have been granted full
AAM accreditation. "We set a goal to achieve AAM accreditation
in less than 10 years after the opening of our facility and
we beat that goal
by two years," Smith said. "We are incredibly proud
of this accomplishment and would like to thank all those who
have so generously supported us over the years."
She particularly cited "the tremendous support of the Frederick
community."
