Sturgeon Bay, Wis. (February 22, 2024) – The Door County Maritime Museum & Lighthouse Preservation Society, Inc. (DCMM) recently learned that the organization has passed the American Alliance of Museums’ Core Documents Verification, an important milestone in its ongoing efforts to demonstrate excellence and meet museum industry standards and best practices.
Earning Core Documents Verification means an internationally recognized professional organization for the museum industry has verified—through expert review—that the museum has an educational mission, strategic plan, code of ethics, and emergency and collections stewardship policies in place that meet standard practices of professional museums. These five documents are designated as “Core Documents” and evaluated because they are fundamental for basic professional museum operations and embody core museum values and practices.
“This is the next affirmative step down the pathway to accreditation with the American Alliance of Museums,” said DCMM Executive Director Kevin Osgood. “AAM accreditation has been a long-held goal for this organization, and we are thrilled to be making significant progress. Only 3% of the ~35,000 museums in the US are accredited with AAM, and we look forward to being counted among that elite group in the near future.”
DCMM Board of Directors President Terry Connelly stated: “The AAM represents the most prestigious museums in America, This recognition comes after their rigorous review and assessment of how we operate to serve our community and meet the professional standards of the best in the field. It’s another significant milestone in the growth of DCMM as the preeminent cultural and educational resource for the preservation and stewardship of our unique maritime history.”
The Door County Maritime Museum & Lighthouse Preservation Society, Inc. preserves Great Lakes maritime history, primarily focusing on Door County, Wisconsin, and provides interpretive and educational opportunities for current and future generations.
DCMM operates three locations, including the Door County Maritime Museum along the working waterfront in Sturgeon Bay; the iconic Cana Island Lighthouse in Baileys Harbor; and the Death’s Door Maritime Museum in Gills Rock. As one of northeast Wisconsin’s top tourism destinations, averaging 95,000 visitors annually, the Door County Maritime Museum serves as a cultural and educational resource for all 72 counties in Wisconsin.
The Door County Maritime Museum in Sturgeon Bay is open seven days a week, 10am-4pm, now through April. This quieter time on the peninsula is a great opportunity to leisurely explore the museum in Sturgeon Bay, especially the Jim Kress Maritime Lighthouse Tower! The 118-foot Tower – the tallest building in two counties and the fifth tallest structure in Northeast Wisconsin – is the newest landmark in our historic maritime community.
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, AAM has been championing museums through advocacy and providing museum professionals with the resources, knowledge, inspiration, and connections they need to move the field forward.
AAM’s Alliance of 35,000 museums and museum professionals seeks to better our communities, and our world, through collaborative human-centered experiences, education, and connection to histories, cultures, the natural world, and one another.
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