BETHEL — The Maine Mineral & Gem Museum has been selected to participate in the Museum Assessment Program (MAP), which is a national-level program administered by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). The MAP Program represents the initial step in reaching the museum’s goal of becoming an accredited institution. Through this process, the MMGM will work to meet and exceed the highest professional standards of the museum field, better enabling the Museum to elevate its offerings to the people of Maine and beyond. The Museum’s participation is made possible through funding provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

The AAM is the only organization representing the nation’s entire museum community and has been dedicated to promoting excellence within the museum field for over 100 years. “Studies have shown America’s museums to be among the country’s most trusted and valued institutions. MAP is designed to make them even better,” says Laura Lott, president of AAM. “Choosing to be part of the MAP program is indicative of the commitment to civic involvement, public service and overall excellence on the part of the MMGM,” concludes Lott.

Barbra Barrett, MMGM director, states, “We want to develop systems to streamline operations, create a public online database of our collections and develop programs that will engage and expand our outreach. We aspire to be a world-renowned museum and maintain a strong connection with our community.”

The Maine Mineral & Gem Museum’s mission is to celebrate the mineralogy of Maine and enlighten visitors as to the origin of Earth and beyond through dynamic exhibits, educational programming and scientific research. For more information on the MMGM, please visit www.mainemineralmuseum.org.

MAP is supported through a cooperative agreement between AAM and IMLS. For more information on MAP, including a complete list of museums participating in MAP, please visit www.aam-us.org/map. For more information about AAM, visit www.aam-us.org. The Institution of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. To learn more about the Institute, visit http://www.imls.gov.