South Dakota Art Museum receives highest national recognition

The South Dakota Art Museum at South Dakota State University has again achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition afforded to the nation’s museums. 

Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, governments, funders, outside agencies and the museum-going public. The South Dakota Art Museum has been accredited since 1976. All alliance-accredited 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 50 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. 

"Earning reaccreditation from the American Alliance of Museums is a tremendous accomplishment that reaffirms the South Dakota Art Museum’s commitment to excellence in preserving and sharing visual art,” said Donna Merkt, director of the museum. “It underscores our role as a vital cultural institution in South Dakota and beyond." 

Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, roughly 1,100 are currently accredited. The South Dakota Art Museum was the first alliance-accredited museum in South Dakota and is one of only four museums accredited in the state. 

“The South Dakota Art Museum’s reaccreditation by the American Alliance of Museums further exemplifies the museum’s high standards and premier contributions to South Dakota State University, the state and region,” SDSU President Barry Dunn said. “I’m proud of the hard work of museum staff that furthers SDSU’s land-grant mission, enriching visitors’ lives by curating and hosting quality art exhibitions, offering outstanding educational programming and outreach, and connecting campus to communities.” 

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. The American Alliance of Museums’ 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. 

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

About the South Dakota Art Museum 

Since 1970, the South Dakota Art Museum at South Dakota State University in Brookings has been a destination for people from around the world to enjoy the artistic legacy of South Dakota in all its diversity. With a vision to serve the diverse peoples and communities of the state and its visitors as South Dakota's premier visual arts resource, its mission is to inspire creativity, connect people and enrich lives through art. 

As a unit of South Dakota State University, the South Dakota Art Museum receives significant operational support from the university. Additional support is provided by the South Dakota Arts Council (with funds from the State of South Dakota, through the Department of Tourism and the National Endowment for the Arts) and museum members and donors. 

The museum is located at 1036 Medary Ave. in Brookings and is open daily, except on state holidays and Sundays from January through March. Admission to the museum is free. Parking is also free in the museum’s reserved lot just west of the museum on Harvey Dunn Street. For more information, call 605-688-5423, email the museum or visit the museum website.

About the American Alliance of Museums 

The American Alliance of Museums is the only organization representing the entire museum field, from art and history museums to science centers and zoos. Since 1906, it has 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 the AAM website.