OMCA Awarded Re-Accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums

March 20, 2024

We are proud to share that OMCA has again achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition afforded to the nation’s Museums. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public. OMCA has been accredited since 1973.

AAM is the only organization representing the entire museum field, from art and history museums to science centers and zoos. Since 1906, AAM has been championing museums through advocacy and providing museum professionals with the resources, knowledge, inspiration, and connections they need to move the field forward. 

All museums must undergo a reaccreditation review at least every 10 years to maintain accredited status. Alliance Accreditation brings national recognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for over fifty years, the Alliance’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 and ethically accountable to provide the best possible service to the public.

Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, roughly 1,100 are currently accredited.

Accreditation is a very rigorous but highly rewarding process that examines all aspects of a museum’s operations. To earn accreditation, a museum first must conduct a year of self-study, and 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.

We are thrilled to be recognized for our ongoing commitment to building belonging together through our museum, garden, and gathering place in the heart of Oakland.