Contact: Jefferson Holland / 410-295-0104 / director@amaritime.org

American Association of Museums recognizes Annapolis Maritime Museum’s achievements in peer review

Feb. 20, 2007 - For the past year, the Annapolis Maritime Museum (AMM) has been undergoing an intensive Institutional Assessment designed and implemented by the American Association of Museums to provide an overview of the Museum’s entire management and operational practices. The Museum began an extensive self-study phase a year ago and recently completed a peer review conducted by Burt Logan, Executive Director of the USS Constitution Museum in Boston, Mass. His 34-page assessment report was just released last week.

“The Annapolis Maritime Museum exhibits a level of organizational maturity far beyond its years,” Mr. Logan wrote. “It is blessed with talented volunteer leadership, a dedicated professional staff, and an involved and growing membership.  Their energy, creativity, and drive have transformed AMM from an insular organization into a burgeoning museum that is increasingly reaching out and serving the community.” 

“We’re thrilled with Mr. Logan’s findings,” said AMM Director Jeff Holland. “He provided an objective analysis of our organization from a fresh point of view and examined our operations in light of current standards and best practices. All that was highly complimentary to our staff, our volunteers and our Board of Directors, which of course we were delighted to hear; but more importantly, Mr. Logan provided detailed guidelines on how to improve our operations in the coming year and beyond. By implementing these recommendations, we will take long strides toward becoming a truly world-class educational institution that all of Annapolis will be proud of.”

Mr. Logan went on to write, “Without question, AMM is operating from a position of strength.  Its Phoenix-like rise during the past several years, its stellar track record of serving the community, and its visionary leadership should ensure that AMM moves closer to realizing its full potential as the maritime museum of record for Annapolis and the surrounding area.

“Instead of being crippled by the devastating effects of Hurricane Isabel in 2003, which could easily have happened to an organization with less commitment and focus, AMM seized the moment as an opportunity to strengthen its future and has emerged as a more vibrant museum,” Mr. Logan stated.   

“As pleased as we were to read about our performance to date, we were particularly delighted by Mr. Logan’s assessment of our plans for the future,” Holland commented.

“For an organization of its size and relative youth, AMM has done a masterful job of planning,” Mr. Logan wrote. “The Museum’s passion for planning has enabled it to achieve results that many museums with much greater longevity are still struggling to attain. The interpretive plan, the range of community-based educational programs, and the melding of City resources with private architectural services and AMM’s internal fund raising are especially noteworthy and can be a model for the field.”

“AMM possesses all the qualities of a highly effective museum: talented and inspiring leadership, relevant programming, passionate community support, and exuberant endorsement by local government, to name only a few,” Mr. Logan stated. “Within the span of 16 years AMM has accomplished more than most start-up museums achieve in double the time.”

“After working so hard over the past several years, this report was music to our ears,” Holland said. “And it was even more so, coming from someone as prestigious as Burt Logan and the American Association of Museums. But reading a realistic analysis of the challenges ahead made it all the more credible. We have our work cut out for us.”

“…Among the highest priorities funds must be secured to complete the renovation of the McNasby Oyster Company building; future facility needs for programming, exhibitions, and collections storage must be addressed; resources must be invested to build and care for the collections; and support mechanisms and infrastructure must be assembled to accommodate future growth,” Mr. Logan wrote. 

In conclusion, Mr. Logan noted that “the board, the staff, the City of Annapolis, the membership, the community, and everyone else who has contributed to AMM’s recent success should feel immense pride – together, they have embarked on a journey that will ensure Annapolis’ maritime heritage is preserved and interpreted in meaningful and relevant ways so that it will be cherished for generations to come.”

The Institutional Assessment is part of the Museum Assessment Program (MAP), one component of the Department of Museum Advancement & Excellence at the American Association of Museums. MAP was started in 1981 to promote professional standards, institutional assessment and peer review. More than 3,500 museums have benefited from MAP. MAP is developed and administered by the American Association of Museums and is funded in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The Museum received a generous grant from IMLS to participate in the program.

The full document is available for review at Museum offices. For more information, contact the Annapolis Maritime Museum at 410-295-0104, or log onto www.annapolismaritimemuseum.org.

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