The Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA) has again 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.

“The timing of our reaccreditation coincides with the 25th anniversary of our beautiful building in 2026, adding yet another milestone at this time,” said Gretchen Dietrich, the UMFA’s Marcia and John Price executive director. “I am particularly pleased to have this affirmation of the museum’s professionalism, as we look ahead to the exciting things to come. It offers an outside, and objective, testimony to the important work that the UMFA and its staff carry out every year.”

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 AAM’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.

“This reaccreditation recognizes the remarkable work of the UMFA team and the museum’s deep contribution to our campus, state and beyond,” said Taylor Randall, University of Utah president. “The UMFA brings art to life with its unparalleled access to world-class collections, engaging our students, supporting our research and connecting Utahns to ideas and cultures from around the world.”

Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, roughly 1,100 are currently accredited. The UMFA is one of five museums accredited in Utah. First accredited in 1972, the UMFA was the first university museum west of the Mississippi to be accredited by AAM. Accredited museums must undergo a reaccreditation review at least every 10 years to maintain their status.

The rigorous process 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. AAM’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.

“We’ve always held ourselves to the highest standards, and reaccreditation is recognition of that. The standards and values that AAM champions through the accreditation process are bedrock principles that will help the UMFA remain resilient and stay true to our mission in the years ahead,” said Marcia Price, chair of the UMFA Board of Directors.