The American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the only organization representing the entire scope of the museum community, recently selected a new cohort of museums to participate in this year’s Museum Assessment Program, including Wright in Kankakee – the FLLW B. Harley Bradley House.
Since its inception in 1981, the Museum Assessment Program (MAP) has helped more than 5,000 small and mid-sized museums of all types strengthen operations, plan for the future, and meet standards. With five types of assessments available, more than 60 percent of AAM-accredited museums have participated in the program.
To participate in the Museum Assessment Program, museums choose from one-of-five institutional assessment types: Organizational, collections stewardship, education and interpretation, community and audience engagement, or board leadership. All five assessment types are grounded in AAM’s core standards; are inclusive of diversity, equity, access, and inclusion (DEAI) issues as they relate to the assessment focus; help museums look at both functional and strategic aspects of their operations and present focused learning modules and action plans for the museum to progress through; and include a peer-reviewed site visit. More than one-third of participating museums found the experience so valuable they returned to participate another time in the Museum Assessment Program.
Wright in Kankakee is pleased to participate in the Museum Assessment Program. The process will guide the preservation, planning, and promotion of the B. Harley Bradley House as it continues to be a cultural asset to and support of the community.
Benefits of participating in MAP are clear. Museums often gain clarity on an institutional roadmap or strategic plan, see positive impacts to their visitor experience or community response to their museum, grow in their ability to identify their strengths and challenges, or gain valuable assistance with updating museum policy, successes in fundraising, and other benefits.
MAP is supported through a cooperative agreement between the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the American Alliance of Museums.
Wright in Kankakee, the B. Harley Bradley House, is Frank Lloyd Wright’s first Prairie and is at 701 S. Harrison Avenue in Kankakee. For additional information or to book a tour, visit
www.wright1900.org or call 815-936-9630.