FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Angie Lowrie
216-721-5722 x1402
alowrie@wrhs.org
CLEVELAND, OH (March 26, 2025) – Western Reserve Historical Society (WRHS) has achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition afforded to the nation’s museums. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public.
“Accreditation is a monumental achievement,” said Marilyn Jackson, 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.”
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 fifty 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.
Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, roughly 1,100, or about 3%, are currently accredited. Western Reserve Historical Society is one of only 5 museums accredited in Northeast Ohio.
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 Alliance’s 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.
To achieve accreditation, WRHS satisfied AAM’s Core Standards for Museums. In fact, WRHS’s educational and public programming, collections stewardship, public service, and organizational health were noted for ‘exemplary practices’.
“WRHS is one of the finest American history organizations in the United States,” said David Stahl, Chair, WRHS Board of Directors. "As we approach our 158th year in continuous existence, we are deeply honored by this national recognition.”
"We are grateful to the American Alliance of Museums for this recognition, as the years-long process provided an opportunity for continuous improvement, self-study and institutional growth," says Kelly Falcone-Hall, WRHS President & CEO. "We owe a debt of gratitude to the staff, Board of Directors, volunteers and our many constituents for your leadership, support and involvement with WRHS over the last decade. Because of you, we are worthy of this national recognition, and I am proud to work alongside you to maintain WRHS’s commitment to excellence.”
The AAM decision comes at an important time for WRHS with the WRHS Library is reopening after an 18-month closure, Hale Farm & Village recently open with the with Maple Sugar Festival and Pancake Breakfast and a school field experiences this spring, new galleries opening at the Cleveland History Center, and WRHS's America 250-Ohio initiatives are underway.
About the Western Reserve Historical Society
Founded in 1867, WRHS is a regional American history organization with seven properties across Northeast Ohio. Included in its collections are 39 historic structures – 7 of which are on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) - over 100,000 objects in its museum collections, an expansive library of published and primary source materials, an auto-aviation collection, costume and textile collection, and more. WRHS presents exhibitions, programs and experiences that tell the dynamic stories of the people of Northeast Ohio through art, documents and artifacts from a variety of collections. Through its Heritage Management Program, WRHS is a resource for corporations and organizations.
WRHS is a Smithsonian Affiliate and is a member of the America 250-Ohio Commission commemorating the Semiquincentennial of the United States in 2026. WRHS is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. Sponsorships, bequests, grants, admissions, and other funds are used by WRHS to preserve and enrich the region’s artistic and cultural heritage. WRHS earned a top four-star rating from Charity Navigator, the nation’s most-used independent evaluator of charities and nonprofits. Administrative offices are located at 10825 East Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44106.
Visit us online at www.wrhs.org or on social media @clestartshere.
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.
