Museum Of Russian Icons Earns Highest Honor From American Alliance Of Museums

The Museum of Russian Icons has been awarded re-accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest accolade given to the nation's museums. Fewer than 5% of American museums are accredited. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to the museum-going public, and to governments, funders, and outside agencies.

"Earning AAM re-accreditation during the pandemic year is a testament to the dedication, commitment, and hard work of the Museum's remarkable staff and board in preserving and sharing the treasures of the Museum of Russian Icons, as well as an affirmation of the vision of our late founder Gordon B. Lankton (1931-2021)" said Executive Director Kent dur Russell. "We are immensely proud to have been nationally recognized by an organization considered the 'gold standard' for museum excellence."

The Museum of Russian Icons is the only Museum in the USA dedicated to Russian icons and it houses the largest, and finest, collection outside of Russia. Initially accredited by the AAM in 2016, just 10 years after opening its doors in October 2006, the Museum annually attracts over 10,000 visitors from around the country and the world.

Alliance Accreditation brings national recognition to the Museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for over 45 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 in order to provide the best possible service to the public.

In awarding accreditation, the AAM review commission called the galleries and icons on view "impressive." They commended the Museum as "an international leader in scholarship through its Center for Icon Studies and Journal of Icon Studies," and as "the preeminent center for the study of icons in the United States. It serves the local community as well as scholars around the globe." The Museum of Russian Icons was cited for "making significant progress in its transition from a founder-led and founder-funded institution to an independently functioning nonprofit managed by an engaged board of trustees." And, the commission recognized the institution for how they utilize exhibitions to promote understanding between the USA and Russia.

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.

Of the nation's estimated 33,000 museums, over 1070 are currently accredited. The Museum of Russian Icons is one of only 67 museums accredited in Massachusetts.

"Accredited museums are a community of institutions that have chosen to hold themselves publicly accountable to excellence," said Laura L. Lott, Alliance president and CEO. "Accreditation is clearly a significant achievement, of which both the institutions and the communities they serve can be extremely proud."

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