Utah Museum of Fine Arts Receives Highest National Recognition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contact: ​
​Emma Ryder, director of marketing and communications
​801-581-7328
​Emma.ryder@umfa.utah.edu

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH — December 30, 2025 —The Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA) has again achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition afforded to the nation’s museums. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public. The UMFA has been accredited since 1972, the first university museum west of the Mississippi to be accredited by AAM. Accredited museums must undergo a reaccreditation review at least every 10 years to maintain their status. ​

“The timing of our reaccreditation coincides with the 25th anniversary of our beautiful building in 2026,” said Gretchen Dietrich, the UMFA’s Marcia and John Price Executive Director, “adding yet another milestone at this time. I am particularly pleased to have this affirmation of the museum’s professionalism, as we look ahead to the exciting things to come. It offers an outside, and objective, testimony to the important work that the UMFA and its staff carry out every year.”

Accreditation brings national recognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for over fifty years, the AAM’s museum accreditation program is the field’s primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation, and public accountability. It strengthens the museum profession by promoting practices that enable leaders to make informed decisions, allocate resources wisely, and remain financially and ethically accountable to provide the best possible service to the public.

“This reaccreditation recognizes the remarkable work of the UMFA team and the Museum’s deep contribution to our campus, state and beyond,” said Taylor Randall, University of Utah president. “The UMFA brings art to life with its unparalleled access to world-class collections, engaging our students, supporting our research, and connecting Utahns to ideas and cultures from around the world.”

Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, roughly 1,100 are currently accredited. The UMFA is one of five museums accredited in Utah. ​

Accreditation is a very rigorous but highly rewarding process that examines all aspects of a museum’s operations. To earn accreditation, a museum first must conduct a year of self-study and then undergo a site visit by a team of peer reviewers. AAM’s Accreditation Commission, an independent and autonomous body of museum professionals, considers the self-study and visiting committee report to determine whether a museum should receive accreditation.

“We’ve always held ourselves to the highest standards, and reaccreditation is recognition of that. The standards and values that AAM champions through the accreditation process are bedrock principles that will help the UMFA to remain resilient and stay true to our mission in the years ahead,” said Marcia Price, Chair of UMFA Board of Directors.

The Utah Museum of Fine Arts is located on the University of Utah campus in the Marcia and John Price Museum Building at 410 Campus Center Drive. The UMFA’s mission is to inspire critical dialogue and illuminate the role of art in our lives. For more information visit www.umfa.utah.edu.

About the American Alliance of Museums
​The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) is the only organization representing the entire museum field, from art and history museums to science centers and zoos. Since 1906, we have been championing museums through advocacy and providing museum professionals with the resources, knowledge, inspiration, and connections they need to move the field forward. For more information, visit aam-us.org.