Springfield Museums reach ‘gold standard’ once more

SPRINGFIELD — The reaccreditation of the Springfield Museum by the American Alliance of Museums means the city’s museum complex has achieved something few museums in the nation have.

Only 3% of the 33,000 museums in the country have qualified for accreditation and Springfield Museums President Kay Simpson said, “This is the gold standard.”

In a ceremony on Dec. 8 announcing the renewed status with the American Alliance of Museums, Simpson said it “places the Springfield Museums among the most prestigious institutions in America.”

According to a fact sheet about the American Alliance of Museums supplied by the Springfield Museums, it is the only organization the represents the entire museum field, which includes art, science, history museums, as well as zoos and aquariums. In Massachusetts, the New England Aquarium and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts are accredited.

Cindy Campbell, the Springfield Museum’s president of the Board of Trustees, said accreditation increases the ability for the museums to seek funding as well as improves its relationship with other museums.

The American Alliance of Museums also contends accreditation “increases ability to attract support for capital improvements … viewed as a lower risk by the fine arts insurance industry.”

The reaccreditation process was something that Simpson said took “months and moths to prepare.”

Besides submitting the necessary documents and applications, there were site visits as well.

The reaccreditation takes place every 10 years. Simpson added it was “a huge collective effort.”

The American Alliance of Museums asks two core questions in the accreditation review: “How well does the museum achieve its stated mission and goal?” and “How well does the museum’s performance meets standards and best practices as they are generally understood in the museum field as appropriate to its circumstances?”

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal (D-Springfield) noted the Springfield Museums were founded 167 years ago and added that federal fund allocated to projects in the neighborhood of the museums, such as the Federal Courthouse, have benefitted the museums.

“This is a great day for the museums,” he said.

State Sen. Adam Gomez (D-Springfield) sees the museums from both a personal view, recalling how he visited them as a child as well as the economic development the museums represent.

The Museums suppled information that it has a $22 million economic impact to the region. Attendance has increased to match those of 2018.

State Rep. Carlos Gonzalez (D-Springfield) called the museums “a gem, a jewel, a diamond … not just for the city but for the region and all of the state.”