PEEC Selected for National Museum Assessment Program

PEEC News:

The Pajarito Environmental Education Center 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 PEEC to better serve the citizens of Los Alamos by helping it to meet and exceed the highest professional standards of the museum field.

The $4,000 cost of this program will be completely funded through the grant received.

The program is funded by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and throughout its 30 years has been administered by the American Association of Museums (AAM.)

As part of the IMLS National Leadership program, MAP advances best practices and fosters improvement in museums.  

MAP is a self-motivated program; application to and participation in MAP is initiated by each local institution, and those accepted invest considerable human and institutional resources in the assessment.

PEEC’s mission is to inspire people of all ages to explore the natural and cultural heritage of the Pajarito Plateau and to strengthen their connection to the natural world. 

PEEC achieves its mission through public and school programs, and through their Nature Center, which is open to the public five days a week. PEEC Board President, Rebecca Shankland, says “PEEC is delighted that we’ll have a chance to work with MAP and learn from their expertise.”

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 and in response to community needs.  

Participant museums choose one of three categories for the assessment: Collections Stewardship, Organizational, Community Engagement.

PEEC will take part in the Organizational assessment process. Small and mid-sized museums of all types, including art, history, science and technology, children’s, natural history, historic houses, nature centers, botanical gardens, and zoos participate in the program.

“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 PEEC,” 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.”

Since its creation in 1981, the MAP program has served over 4,300 museums. MAP is supported through a cooperative agreement with IMLS.

For more information, including a complete list of museums participating in MAP, please visit www.aam-us.org/map, call 202/289-9118 or e-mail map@aam-us.org.

AAM is the only organization representing the nation’s entire museum community and has been dedicated to promoting excellence within the museum field for more than 100 years. For more information, visit www.aam-us.org.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. To learn more about the Institute, visit http://www.imls.gov.

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