Taking the pledge on behalf of the museum were Board Chair John Cleveland and Executive Director Rachel Desgrosseilliers.

Museum L-A recently received a “Pledge of Excellence” certificate from the American Alliance of Museums in affirmation that the Museum pledges “to operate according to national standards and best practices to the best of [its] abilities and in accordance with [its] resources.”

Taken on behalf of the museum by Executive Director Rachel Desgrosseilliers and Board Chair John Cleveland, the pledge demonstrates the Museum’s allegiance to the Code of Ethics for Museums and its commitment to meeting AAM standards, which establish guidelines for best practice in the following areas: Public Trust and Accountability, Mission and Planning, Leadership and Organizational Structure, Collections Stewardship, Education and Interpretation, Financial Stability, and Facilities and Risk Management.

The Pledge of Excellence certificate is the first step toward accreditation status under the American Alliance of Museums, which has been the recognized mark of distinction within the museum field since 1971. Accreditation confers peer-based validation of a museum’s operations and impact, while increasing its credibility and value to funders, policy makers, insurers, peers and community. Accreditation status is an important tool for leveraging change and facilitating artifact loans between institutions. Once accreditation is achieved, Museum L-A will become eligible to apply to become a Smithsonian Affiliate.

The American Alliance of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906 by gathering and sharing knowledge, helping to develop standards and best practices, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the museum community. Representing more than 30,000 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 on the American Alliance of Museums, see aam-us.org.

Opening to the public in 2004, Museum L-A has evolved from a single-focus museum dedicated to the history of the region’s textile industry to a broader community and cultural museum. Serving as a place to exhibit and document history, it also functions as an extended classroom, community resource, and showcase of various industries, workers and products. Continual efforts are being made to preserve the historical legacy represented by the mills and the industries of the past. Museum L-A works to encourage collaboration and foster innovation with the goal of honoring the past to inspire the future.

Located in the Bates Mill Complex at 35 Canal Street in Lewiston, Museum L-A is currently showing the exhibit “Covering the Nation: The Art of The Bates Bedspread.” The museum is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by appointment. For more information or to set up a tour, contact Museum L-A by calling 333-3881 or visiting their Facebook page.