Dear Friend,

I’m delighted to let you know that Raynham Hall Museum has just been reaccredited by the American Alliance of Museums!

Accreditation signals excellence – to the museum community, prospective funders, the government, and the public. Accredited museums undergo a reaccreditation review about every 10 years to maintain their status. Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, only about 1,100 are currently accredited. Raynham Hall has been accredited since 1991 and is one of only 68 museums accredited in all of New York State. We are currently the only accredited historic house museum on Long Island.

I want to thank our Board leadership for their indispensable guidance in this endeavor. Kay Hutchins Sato, chair of our Reaccreditation Committee, Dean Yoder, our Board president, and Richard Schuster, our Board treasurer, put in many uncomplaining hours, with their shoulders to the wheel. Our staff, small in number but mighty in talent and fortitude, are to be commended for lifting the museum over this high bar, while also keeping up with their other responsibilities. All hands were on deck, readying core documents, interviewing community stakeholders, and preparing for the nerve-wracking site visit. Many of our part-time educators participated in the process, whether by being observed leading school programs or by sharing the various ways they lend their time and talents to ensure a positive experience for visitors, community partners, and our social media audience.

“Accreditation is a monumental achievement,” concurred Marilyn Jackson, American Alliance of Museums (AAM) President & CEO. “The process demonstrates an institution’s commitment to best practice and is flexible enough to be accomplished by museums of any size.”

The AAM is the only organization representing the entire museum field, from art and history museums to science centers and zoos. Since 1906, they have been championing museums through advocacy and providing museum professionals with the resources, knowledge, inspiration, and connections they need to move the field forward. For more information, visit aam-us.org.

Sincerely,

Harriet Gerard Clark

Executive Director

Raynham Hall Museum