ST. LOUIS, MO – April 23, 2024
Saint Louis Science Center Earns Reaccreditation from American Alliance of Museums
Accreditation Signifies Institution’s Commitment to Excellence, Accountability, High Standards and Continued Improvement
The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) recently awarded the Saint Louis Science Center successful reaccreditation following an evaluation of the institution’s operational standards. The highest national recognition afforded to museums in the United States, accreditation certifies an institution’s efforts to serve as responsible stewards for the collections and resources it holds in public trust.
“Reaccreditation is further acknowledgement of the high standards we establish and maintain within our institution,” Saint Louis Science Center President and Chief Executive Officer Todd Bastean said. “This recognition signifies that we not only meet the high standards expected of us by guests, supporters and the American Alliance of Museums, but also that we engage in continual growth to improve our team, our collections and our service to the St. Louis community.”
Accreditation is a rigorous process that examines all aspects of a museum’s operation, and accredited institutions must undergo a reaccreditation review every 10 years to maintain the status. To earn accreditation, a museum must first 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 site report to determine whether a museum should receive accreditation.
“Accreditation is the gold standard for museums and is a significant achievement for which the institution and its communities should be extremely proud,” said American Alliance of Museums Interim CEO and Chief of Staff Brook Leonard said. “By undergoing reaccreditation, these museums have chosen to hold themselves publicly accountable to maintaining this distinction and have demonstrated their ongoing commitment to excellence.
Of the nearly 33,000 museums in the United States, only 1,113 institutions are currently accredited — with only about 3 percent of those accredited organizations being science- or technology focused facilities. Accredited by AAM since 1989, the Science Center is one of only 20 institutions across Missouri to earn this recognition.
The Saint Louis Science Center is free and open to the public during regular hours (Thursdays through Mondays). For more information about the Science Center, please visit slsc.org or call 314-289-4400.
For more information, or to schedule interviews with Science Center personnel, contact
Doug Bolnick, Public Relations Manager.
Email or call 314.289.4461
About the Saint Louis Science Center
The mission of the Saint Louis Science Center is to inspire everyone to be curious and engaged in science. Named a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate in 2016, the award-winning Science Center engages people through on-site experiences, including hundreds of hands-on exhibits, the OMNIMAX® Theater, which is one of just nine IMAX® Dome with Laser theaters in the world, and the largest artificial sky in the Western Hemisphere at the James S. McDonnell Planetarium. Additionally, the organization provides high-level informal educational programming to schools and other organizations in the St. Louis community and is home to the nationally recognized Youth Exploring Science (YES) Program, which has created a legacy of success by working with underserved teens throughout their high school years to prepare them for in-demand STEM careers of the future. For more information on the Saint Louis Science Center, visit slsc.org or call (314) 289-4400.
About the American Alliance of Museums
The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) is the only organization representing the entire museum field, from art and history museums to science centers and zoos. Since 1906, we 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.
