BROOKINGS — 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 from 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.