The de Saisset Museum is one of three museums in the South Bay to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Accreditation, which is the highest national recognition afforded to the Nation's museums, signifies excellence to the museum community, governments, funders, outside agencies, and the museum-going public. The de Saisset Museum has been accredited since 1979 and, like other accredited institutions, must undergo reaccreditation at least every ten years to maintain accredited status.
AAM Accreditation brings national recognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence in education, professional standards, and commitment to public service. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for more than 35 years, AAM's museum accreditation program is the field's primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation, and public accountability. It strengthens the museum profession by promoting practices that enable leaders to make informed decisions, allocate resources wisely, and remain financially accountable--all in order to provide the best possible service to the public.
The Nation's estimated 17,500 museums play an important role in promoting lifelong education, travel and tourism, and quality of life in nearly every community. Currently an impressive group of 779 museums are accredited. To earn accreditation, a museum must first conduct a year of self-study, followed by a site visit by a two-person team of peers. The Accreditation Commission, an autonomous body of museum professionals appointed by the AAM Board, considers the self-study and site visit report to determine whether a museum should receive accreditation. While the time to complete the process varies by museum, it may take as long as three years.