September 3, 2008
Blount Mansion Selected to Participate in National Museum Assessment Program
BlountMansion has been selected to participate in the Museum Assessment Program (MAP). Through guided self-study and on-site consultation with a museum professional, participation in MAP will empower BlountMansion to better serve the citizens of Knoxville and enable it to meet and exceed the highest professional standards of the museum field.
Administered by the American Association of Museums (AAM) through a cooperative agreement with the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), MAP is an entirely self-motivated program; application to and participation in MAP is initiated by each local institution, and those accepted from among the dozens of annual applicants invest considerable human and institutional resources into the assessment.
“Of America’s estimated 17,500 museums, less than one-half of one percent participate in MAP each year,” states Blount Mansion Association’s Executive Director Billye Chabot. “Participation in such programs demonstrates to the community our dedication to professionalism and to our mission of preserving the Mansion for future generations.”
MAP is a confidential process of self-study, peer review and implementation. Museums use the assessment process to strengthen operations, build capacity, and enhance communication throughout the organization. Participant museums choose one of four categories for its assessment: collections management, governance, institutional, and public dimension. BlountMansion will take part in the governance assessment process.
“Choosing to be part of the MAP program is indicative of the commitment to civic involvement, public service and overall excellence on the part of BlountMansion,” said Ford W. Bell, president of AAM. “Studies have shown America’s museums to be among the country’s most trusted and valued institutions. MAP is designed to make them even better.”
“The objective of the Museum Assessment Program is improvement. Participant museums discover ways to improve all aspects of their operations,” said Dr. Anne-Imelda M. Radice, director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. “The ultimate beneficiaries, of course, are the people and communities these museums serve.”
Museums representing 37 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands have been accepted into the program this year. BlountMansion is one of only two participants in the state of Tennessee.
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