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The Florence Griswold Museum Receives Reaccreditation by the American Alliance of Museums

April 9, 2018: The Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Connecticut is honored to announce that it has received high marks from the American Alliance of Museums’ (AAM) Accreditation Commission. Accreditation helps to ensure the integrity and accessibility of museum collections, reinforce the educational and public service roles of museums, and promote good governance practices and ethical behavior.

Through a rigorous process of self-assessment and review by their peers, the museum has demonstrated it meets standards and best practices and are good stewards of the collections and resources they hold in the public trust. “The Florence Griswold Museum is an energetic place that creatively raises income and builds audiences,’ notes Amy Bartow-Melia, Chair of the AAMs Accreditation Committee. “The museum’s highly-detailed yearly strategic plans for each department are a model for other museums.”

Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, only 3% are currently accredited. “Accredited museums are a community of institutions that have chosen to hold themselves publicly accountable to excellence,” said Laura Lott, Alliance president and CEO.” Accreditation is clearly a significant achievement, of which both the institutions and the communities they serve can be extremely proud.

About the American Alliance of Museums  The American Alliance of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. Representing more than 35,000 individual museum professionals and volunteers, institutions, and corporate partners serving the museum field, the Alliance stands for the broad scope of the museum community.  For more information, visit www.aam-us.org.

Over the past four years, the Museum has seen a steady rise in exhibition attendance and total visitorship, culminating in 76,661 visitors in 2017. According to a recent economic impact study, out-of-town visitors spend an average of $479 per family while in the area, resulting in an estimated annual economic impact of $16.5 million. While drawing a national and international audience the Museum is also growing in stature among its core constituency of visitors from Southeastern Connecticut as a valued gathering place for the community. With support from the Connecticut Humanities Council, the Museum is investing heavily in efforts to reach new audiences through technology, having created a distinctive website presence and an innovative series of web-based learning tools about Florence Griswold and the artists of the Lyme Art Colony. Over 120,000 web visitors interact with FloGris’s website each year, while over 23,000 people now subscribe to the bi-monthly electronic newsletter.

Thank you for your interest in the Florence Griswold Museum!

If you do not find the information you need on the website, please contact Tammi Flynn, Director of Marketing.

Just as Miss Florence’s home captured the imagination of artists over one hundred years ago, the Museum is attracting the attention of another generation of artists and art lovers. Since opening the Krieble Gallery in July 2002, attendance has more than doubled. The Museum is a resource for local residents as well as a destination for visitors from around the world.

We have a full selection of digital images of our permanent collection, temporary exhibitions, buildings, grounds and gardens, programs, and events.

We are happy to supply them to qualified media professionals upon request. Interviews with key staff can also be arranged. Hopefully you can make a personal visit to the 12-acre site but if you are unable, information can be sent to you immediately upon request.

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