The Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington, is burnishing its reputation with membership in a respected museum association.
Editor’s Note:This article originally stated several major museums were not members of the American Association of Museums based on an unusually alphabetized list on the American Association of Museums website. This item has been adjusted to reflect more accurate information.
UPDATED 08/27/2010
In an announcement released today, the Museum of Glass presented its newly won membership as a significant step in its bid for respect as a serious museum. “The Museum of Glass has achieved accreditation from the American Association of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition for a museum,” reads the announcement. “Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public. “
To mark the event, the museum will be offering free admission on Saturday, September 25, 2010.
“We’re excited. In the museum world, accreditation is a widely recognized seal of approval,” said Museum of Glass director and CEO Timothy Close in a prepared statement. “It is a significant accomplishment, especially for a young museum, and it required a great deal of work and preparation from staff, docents and Board members. To mark this milestone and the fact that the Museum has welcomed 1.5 million visitors in just eight years, we thought that free admission on national Museum Day would be a fitting way to celebrate ‘All Glass, All the Time’ with the entire community.”