MAP July 2015 App - web app

Museum Assessment Program
APPLICATION
Postmark Deadline:
July 1

Questions? [email protected] or 202.289.9118

The Museum Assessment Program (MAP) is supported by a cooperative agreement between the Institute of
Museum and Library Services and the American Alliance of Museums.

Museum Assessment Program Application (July deadline)

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About The Museum Assessment Program (MAP)
The Museum Assessment Program is a technical assistance program that can help your museum attain
excellence in operations and planning through a confidential process of self-study and peer review. MAP is part of
the Continuum of Excellence and is administered by the American Alliance of Museums. MAP is supported
through a cooperative agreement between the Alliance and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

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. With more than 18,000 individual, 3,000 institutional and 300 corporate members,
the Alliance is dedicated to ensuring that museums remain a vital part of the American landscape, connecting
people with the greatest achievements of the human experience ─ past, present and future. For more information,
visit: www.aam-us.org.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000
libraries and 35,000 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect
people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local
organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support
professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit: http://www.imls.gov.

Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
media or stored by any means in any information storage retrieval system, without prior written permission of the
American Alliance of Museums, 1575 Eye Street N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20005.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
About
Museum Assessment Program Overview - 4
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What is MAP?
Benefits of MAP
Assessment Types
MAP Process
Commiting to MAP

Eligibility - 10
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Museums with Parent Organizations
Previous MAPs and Repeating a MAP Assessment

Funding and Cost Information - 11
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Peer Reviewer Expenses
Number of Peer Reviewers

Guidelines
Application Guidelines - 12
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Application Format
Required Application Materials
Eligibility Sample Answers
Assembling the Package
Submitting Your Application
Next Steps

Glossary
Glossary - 15

Application Form
Museum Assessment Program Application – 16

Evaluation
Application Evaluation - 27

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MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM OVERVIEW
What is MAP?
For over 30 years MAP has helped over 4,500 small and mid-sized museums of all types through a
confidential, consultative process of self-study and a site visit from an expert peer reviewer over one
year. MAP helps museums strengthen operations, plan for the future and meet standards. MAP is
administered by the American Alliance of Museums (Alliance) and supported through a cooperative
agreement with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
MAP provides $4,000 worth of consultative resources and services. MAP is available twice a year with
application deadlines of July 1 and December 1. To participate, museums pay between $0 - $750.

Components of MAP: Self-Study and Peer Review
Self-Study Workbook and Activities
The Self-Study Workbook and Activities are designed to help your institution see itself systemically and
prepare the peer reviewer for the visit. Self-study is a method that:
 stimulates a review of your institution’s policies, procedures, and records;
 enhances institutional dialogue and openness;
 informs the peer review phase;
 encourages new ways of operating; and
 serves as a baseline against which to measure your museum’s progress
Peer Review
MAP Peer Reviewers are museum professionals volunteering their time. They review your museum’s
self-study materials, visit the museum in a 1-2 site visit, and write a report. Peer review provides:
 the opportunity to critically review your operations with the benefit of a fresh perspective
 validation and input from an experienced museum professional
 consultative advice to help your museum improve

Benefits of MAP
MAP will help your museum reach its full potential. Participating in MAP leads to:
 an increased level of professionalism among museum staff;
 improved communications between staff, board, and other constituencies;
 a clearer focus on the museum’s mission and planning;
 greater credibility with potential funders and donors; and
 national recognition of the museum’s desire to achieve excellence through selfimprovement.
As a MAP participant, your museum will also have access to a number of resources including:
 MAP Online Community
 Alliance’s Museum Essentials
Webinar series
 MAP Grant Proposal-Writing Toolkit
 Alliance’s Information Center and
 MAP Promotion Toolkit
online Resource Library
 MAP Webinars
 MAP Bookshelf
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Assessment Types
There are three different MAP assessment types to choose from:

Organizational Assessment
Reviews all operational areas. Upon completion, a museum is better prepared to operate as a 21st
century museum with a strong understanding of core museum standards and good practices that
support sustainability. This assessment places significant emphasis on strategic planning as well as
ensuring operations and resources align with the museum’s mission.

Collections Stewardship Assessment
Focuses on collections policies, planning, access and documentation within the context of the
museum’s total operations. The scope of the assessment includes collections care and use,
acquisitions and deaccessioning, legal, ethical, and safety issues, documentation, inventory, and
emergency planning.
If applying for the Collections Stewardship Assessment, MAP staff strongly recommends that the
museum has a collections management policy or draft ready before the site visit. This recommendation
is based on feedback from Peer Reviewers, who find that they can be of greatest help to the museum if
there is a policy or draft policy on which they can comment.

Community Engagement Assessment
Assesses the museum’s understanding of and relationship with its various communities and the
communities’ perception of and experience with the museum. It helps museums gather better input
from their constituents, develop a more nuanced view about the community’s demographics and needs,
respond to the changing nature of its audiences and incorporate these findings into planning and
operational decisions. It helps museums form new collaborations and strengthen old ones.
If applying for the Community Engagement Assessment, MAP staff strongly recommends that the
museum have a:
 A formal and approved mission statement. An approved mission statement indicates a clear
institutional self-image that can be tested against the community’s perception.
 Previous experience with self-study, as that helps you manage assessment logistics, which
need to involve members of your museum’s community and audiences.
 An established process for institutional/strategic planning, ensuring a way of using the large
amount of information that will result from your museum’s self-study and report.

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Assessment Type Objectives
Below is a list of common objectives for each assessment, which will help you fill out and determine
which assessment type is best for your museum. In your application, you will state up to 3 objectives
that will inform your MAP review. Objectives can be changed during the process if needed.

SAMPLE OBJECTIVES
Organizational

Collections Stewardship

Increase staff and/or governing
authority’s knowledge about
 respective roles and
responsibilities of governing
authority and staff
 museum standards and best
practices
 resources available to help the
museum

Increase staff and/or governing
authority’s knowledge about
collections standards and best
practices.

Improve alignment of
 operations to mission
 resources to mission
 organizational structure to
mission

Improve the museum’s ability to:
 write a collections plan
 raise funds to support the
collections
 improve collections
stewardship
 prioritize long-term
collections management
issues
 develop/review/revise
collections policies and
procedures
 manage risk

Improve ability to
 develop a mission statement or
refine the existing mission
statement
 develop an institutional plan
 develop/review/revise policies
and procedures
 assess facilities management
needs
 manage risk
 manage renovation, expansion
or the construction of a new
facility
 improve financial sustainability
 care for collections
 engage the community
Prepare for accreditation or
reaccreditation.

Improve alignment of
 collections with mission
 collections with the
institutional plan

Assess needs in the areas of
 collections management
staffing
 facilities management
Prepare for accreditation or
reaccreditation

Community Engagement
Improve the alignment of
 mission with audience and
community
 resource allocation with
audience and community
needs
Increase understanding of the
 museum’s community and
stakeholders
 how the museum is
perceived by its audiences
and community
Improve ability to
 communicate with the
community
 serve its audiences
 identify and develop
potential audiences
 create collaborations to
address community needs
 incorporate community
needs into long-range plans
 conduct an audience
evaluation
 improve visitor services
 meet audience needs
through exhibitions and
programming
 write/review/revise policies
and procedures
 write a long-range
interpretive plan
 write an emergency
management plan
Prepare for accreditation or
reaccreditation

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MAP Process
(July 1 Deadline)
The MAP process consists of:
 application
 self-study
 peer review
The following is an overview of the main pieces of the MAP process. Once in the program, your
museum will get more details and reminders about each step.

Summer: Application
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Ensure eligibility
Secure institutional commitment
Pick an Assessment type
Select objectives
Form an Assessment Team
Complete and submit the application by
July 1 (postmark)

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Receive notification of acceptance
Sign and return acceptance letter
Access the MAP Online Community
Pay fee (if applicable)
Begin the Self-Study Workbook and
Activities

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Work on the Self-Study Workbook and
Activities
Contact the Peer Reviewer to schedule
site visit and develop visit agenda
Inform MAP staff of site visit date

Fall: Self Study & Peer Reviewer Selection
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Participate in the Introductory Webinar
Receive MAP bookshelf
Receive, rate and return list of potential
Peer Reviewers
Receive Site Visit Information Packet
with Peer Reviewer's information

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Winter: Site Visit Preparation
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Participate in Site Visit Preparation Webinar
Send the completed Self-Study Workbook and Activity summaries to MAP office and Peer
Reviewer by December 15
Compile and provide additional documentation to Peer Reviewer

Spring: Site Visit and Report
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1 – 2 day site visit between January 15 and April 15
Receive peer reviewer’s report 10-12 weeks after visit
Participate in Report Implementation Webinar
End of formal MAP assessment period

After the Report: Implementation
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Begin/plan for implementing
recommendations from the Peer
Reviewer’s report
Integrate them into your museum’s
plans

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Follow-up with the Peer Reviewer with
any questions and for recommendation
clarification

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Committing to MAP
For your museum to benefit from MAP, the process needs to be an institutional priority. Committing to
MAP includes
 meeting deadlines
 involving the staff and governing authority for a year
 engaging the museum’s internal and external communities
 evaluating the process

The Assessment Team
The Assessment Team is a critical part of the MAP process. Participating involves a significant time
commitment. Key paid and unpaid staff, members of your governing authority, and other important
constituencies should be involved. The Assessment Team is responsible for conducting the
assessment and integrating it into the museum’s planning and implementation process. Members of the
team can change as needed during the MAP process.
Who from your organization should be on this team? People with the:
 knowledge about how things really work or don’t work at your organization, about what
resources are available, about how to get things done
 authority to make decisions about policies or procedures
 responsibility for implementing decisions arising from the assessment and subsequent planning
Consider who should be the primary contact—it may be a member of your governing authority, the
director, or another staff member with appropriate skills to lead a team. Generally we do not
recommend having the development director or grant writer lead the team. Notify MAP staff if the
primary contact changes during the MAP process.

MAP Role

Time Commitment

Primary Contact

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Select either:
 Director
 Board Chair
 Other Senior Staff
Member

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5 – 10 hours on the MAP
application
40 hours on the self-study
workbook
5 - 10 hours working with
the peer reviewer before the
site visit
10 - 20 hours during the site
visit

Obligations
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Serves as the main liaison
with MAP offices
Works as museum’s project
manager for MAP
Submits required
documents to MAP office by
deadline dates
Communicates with peer
reviewer
Coordinates the site visit
agenda with peer reviewer
and museum
Receives the report
Shares the report as needed
Coordinates implementing
report suggestions

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Assessment Team Member

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May include:
 Key staff
 Board members
 Volunteers
 Interns

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Other Museum Stakeholder
(Non-Assessment Team
Member)

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May include:
 Other staff
 Additional board
members
 Other volunteers
 Interns
 Student workers
 Community members

10 – 15 hours per person on
the self-study workbook
5 - 10 hours per person
during the site visit

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Potentially up to 5 hours per
person on the self-study
workbook
Potentially up to 5 hours per
person during the site visit

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Answers group questions in
self-study workbook
Participates in self-study
workbook activities
Available during the site visit
to meet with peer reviewer

May be needed to answer
questions or participate in
activities for the self-study
workbook
May be needed to meet with
the peer reviewer during the
site visit

Evaluation
Completing evaluations are part of your museum’s commitment to MAP. Your museum will be asked to
return evaluations at all stages of the MAP process: application, self-study, post site visit, and during
implementation after completing the program. Your comments on the assessment process will help us
to improve it for future users. Your feedback is also required as a part of MAP’s obligation to IMLS. We
welcome your comments and observations at any point during the assessment.

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ELIGIBILITY
Eligible institutions include aquariums, art museums, children/youth museums, general museums,1
historic houses/sites, history museums, natural history/anthropology museums, nature centers,
planetariums, public gardens, science/technology museums, specialized museums and zoos.
The applicant museum must:
 be organized on a permanent basis for essentially educational or aesthetic purposes;
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care for and owns or uses tangible objects, whether animate or inanimate, and exhibits these
objects on a regular basis through facilities it owns or operates;

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be a unit of state or local government or a private nonprofit organization [501(c)3];

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have at least one professional staff member or the full-time equivalent, whether paid or
unpaid, whose responsibilities relate solely to the museum’s services and operations;

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be open and providing museum services to the general public on a regular basis (a museum
that exhibits objects to the general public for at least 90 days a year fulfills this requirement). If
a museum is not scheduled to be open to the public 90 days a year, it is still eligible to
participate in MAP if it can demonstrate that it was open at least 90 days in the preceding year
through a combination of scheduled days open and days open by appointment;

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be located in one of the fifty states of the U.S., the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or
the Republic of Palau; and

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not be operated by the Federal government. Federal museums can participate via our flexible
participation option. Contact MAP staff for more information.

Museums with Parent Organizations
Museums that operate within a non-federal parent organization are eligible to apply and participate in
MAP. A museum operated within a multi-purpose public or private nonprofit organization such as a
municipality, university, historical society, foundation, or cultural center may apply on its own behalf if:
 the museum is able to independently fulfill all the requirements for eligibility listed above;
 functions as a discrete unit within the parent organization;
 has its own fully segregated and itemized operating budget; and
 has the authority to apply on its own.
When any of the last three conditions cannot be met, a museum may apply through its parent
organization, and the parent organization may submit an application(s) for one or more of its museums.

Previous MAPs and Repeating a MAP Assessment (ReMAP)
Museums previously awarded an IMLS-funded MAP assessment are eligible to participate again in the
same type of assessment if seven years have passed since the original assessment.
All MAP applicants that have done a MAP previously are asked to demonstrate their accomplishments
since their last assessment and explain why they are seeking a new assessment by answering brief
questions on page 25 of the application. Contact the MAP office if you need to inquire about your
museum’s previous participation.
1

Words in bold and italicized appear in the glossary.

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FUNDING AND COST INFORMATION
Through a Cooperative Agreement with IMLS, the Alliance is able to offer MAP assessments at a low
cost to your institution. Use the table below to determine your museum’s costs. Your museum will be
invoiced for its participation fee after it is accepted into MAP.
Museum Annual Operating Expenses
$125,000 or less
$125,001-$400,000
$400,001-$1 Million
Greater than $1 Million
Other possible costs:
 $1,350 to add a second peer reviewer
(optional)
 Peer Reviewer site visit travel expenses
that exceed the $950 cap set by MAP

Participation Costs
Free
$350.00
$550.00
$750.00
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Costs associated with food or beverage
for when the Peer Reviewer(s) is on-site
Postage, photocopying, and longdistance telephone charges

Your MAP award includes the following, valued at approximately $4,000:
 The Alliance’s Information Center and
 MAP Self-Study Materials
Museum Essentials Webinar Series
 Approved Peer Reviewer travel
expenses for one Peer Reviewer per
 MAP Bookshelf worth over $150 from
the Alliance Bookstore
assessment; cap of $950. Expenses
include transportation, food, and lodging
 MAP Online Community
 Peer Reviewer honorarium—$400
Please note: while referred to as a MAP “grant,” the Alliance does not directly disperse any money to
your museum.

Peer Reviewer Expenses
Your museum’s Peer Reviewer generally makes his/her own travel arrangements. Peer Reviewers are
reimbursed by the Alliance. We encourage museums to work closely with Peer Reviewers to provide
suggestions on where to stay, etc., in order to keep expenses under the $950 cap. If the museum pays
for any expense on behalf of the Peer Reviewer, the museum can seek reimbursement from the
Alliance. If the Peer Reviewer’s travel exceeds $950, the museum may be responsible for
covering the additional costs.

Number of Peer Reviewers
Each museum receives one Peer Reviewer to conduct its site visit and write an assessment report.
If your museum would like two Peer Reviewers for its site visit, a second Peer Reviewer costs $1,350
($400 honorarium plus $950 for travel expenses). The museum may be responsible for any peer
reviewer costs exceeding the $950 cap.
Large, complex museums or museums with multiple sites may want to consider having a second Peer
Reviewer. Benefits of having more than one Peer Reviewer include:
 Multiple perspectives on complex situations
 Ability to meet with more staff and governing authority members face-to-face because Peer
Reviewers can split up the duties
 Peer Reviewers with different areas of expertise can concentrate their focus on those areas,
matching their expertise to the needs of the participating museum
 Museums preparing for accreditation or reaccreditation may benefit from multiple
perspectives
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APPLICATION GUIDELINES
Application Format
The application is available in two formats: a simple open Word document with no formatting
and a Word version with defined fill-in fields (See the Apply section of www.aam-us.org/map).
In the open Word format, you have the flexibility of formatting the document as you please, having the
option of spell check and you have full access to all Word functions. However, in this format, you do not
have the convenience of box-checking, which may expedite your completion of the application.

Required Application Materials
The application takes an average of 5-7 hours to complete.
DUNS
Organizations must provide a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)
number. Organizations can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the toll-free request line at 1800-526-9018 or by visiting www.dnb.com.
TIN or EIN
A TIN or EIN is a nine-digit number that the IRS assigns to business entities. The IRS uses this number
to identify taxpayers who are required to file various business tax returns.
Proof of Non-Profit Status
If your organization is incorporated as a non-profit, you must submit a copy of the Federal IRS letter
indicating your organization’s eligibility for nonprofit status under the applicable provisions of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended. A letter of state sales tax exemption is not accepted as
proof of nonprofit status.
Letter from Parent Organization
If your organization operates as part of a unit of state or local government or other tax-exempt
multipurpose organization such as a university, you must submit an official document identifying the
museum as such and supporting participation in MAP. The certification must be on the parent
organization’s letterhead, and must refer to the relationship between the parent organization and the
applicant, and it must be signed by an official of the parent organization.
Example parent letter:
The SAMPLE MUSEUM is owned and operated by the SAMPLE PARENT ORGANIZATION. We
support the SAMPLE MUSEUM’s participation in the Museum Assessment Program.

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Eligibility Sample Answers
To show your museum’s eligibility for MAP, you must provide information about its hours of operation
and staffing starting on page 17, as shown in the example below:
Sample Museum Schedule
Date to Date

Sun

Mon

Tues

1/15-3/15
3/15-9/15

1 - 5pm

1 - 5pm

9/16 to 1/14

1 - 5pm

Wed

Thurs

Fri

Sat

1- 5pm

1- 5pm

1- 5pm

1 - 5pm

1 - 5pm

1 - 5pm

1 – 5pm

1 - 5pm

1 - 5pm

1 - 5pm

1 – 5pm

1 - 5pm

If your museum does not have regularly scheduled hours, or if the regular hours does not equal 90
days, please list additional dates that the museum was open outside the normal operating schedule
and the reason the museum was open.
Example:
 April 7 – Girl Scout troop visit
 April 15 – Homeschool tour
 April 17 – Retirement center tour
Sample Staffing

Name:

Martin Free_

Title:

Site Manager

X volunteer

Hours per
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun
week:
(fill in work
hours for
each day
and total for
0
4
6
6
8
8
4
week)
Responsibilities: Responsible for daily oversight of the museum, collections
management, educational programming, and fund raising

paid
Total

36

If your museum has job descriptions, please include them in addition to listing of staff responsibilities in
the chart. If your museum does not have formal job descriptions then either include an expanded list of
the person’s role and responsibilities or a separate sheet listing the individual’s role.
Only include one person per position. If your museum has multiple people fulfilling the same functional
role, list each person’s hours separately.

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Assembling the Package
Before e-mailing or mailing your application, be certain all information is complete:
Original signatures (can be scanned)
Previous MAP questions on page 25 (see page 10 for instructions)
Proof of Nonprofit Status (see page 12 for instructions)
Signed Parent Letter—if applicable (see page 12 for instructions)
Job descriptions for staff (see page 13 for instructions)
Promotional piece—could include a brochure or rackcard. (This can be sent electronically.)
An organizational chart, if available

Submitting your Application
Applications from eligible institutions will be accepted on a noncompetitive basis until the July 1, 2015
postmark deadline. Please send your application using only one method: e-mail or mail. MAP staff will
confirm receipt of all application materials within one week.
Email: [email protected]. Please note that if the application is bigger than 5 MB, you will need to split it
into parts and send in multiple emails or use an online file transfer service.
Mail:
Museum Assessment Program
American Alliance of Museums
1575 Eye Street N.W., Suite 400
Washington, DC 20005-1105
For questions about the application process or about readiness issues, contact the Museum
Assessment Program staff at (202) 289-9118 or [email protected].

Next Steps
Application Notification
Museum Assessment Program staff will notify you within one week when your application has been
received. If you have not received an email within one week, contact the MAP office to make sure
we’ve received your application. MAP staff may need to contact you with questions about your
application. Delayed responses to staff inquires may jeopardize your eligibility for the program.
Acceptance Notification
Museum Assessment Program staff will process your application and notify you of your acceptance
status in the program approximately 30 days after the application deadline. If accepted, MAP staff will
e-mail an acceptance letter, which you will be required to sign and return by the stated deadline. Any
participation fees will be invoiced after acceptance. Payment is required within 30 days of the
date of the invoice.
Withdrawal Policy
Sometimes museums need to withdraw from the Museum Assessment Program due to unforeseen
circumstances that impact availability of staff and governing authority, or because the Alliance staff
determines that the museum is not moving forward in the program.

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GLOSSARY
Best Practices: Commendable actions and philosophies that successfully solve problems, can be replicated, and
demonstrate an awareness of standards.
Dual governance: a governance structure in which two separate legal entities share governance of the museum.
This involves dividing or sharing basic governance responsibilities such as determining mission and purpose;
hiring, supporting, and evaluating the director; strategic planning; obtaining and managing resources; and
monitoring the organization's programs and services. For example: a museum jointly governed by a city
government, which owns the collections and the building and hires the staff, and a private nonprofit, which
determines museum policy and operates the museum. Does not automatically include museums that have
separately incorporated friends organizations, unless the friends organization has significant responsibility for
governance of the museum.
General museum: a museum that addresses two or more disciplines to a significant extent; for example, a
museum that interprets both art and history, or both history and science.
Governing Authority: the body with legal and fiduciary responsibility for the museum and for approving museum
policy (e.g., Board of Commissioners, Board of Directors, Board of Managers, Board of Regents, Board of
Trustees, City Council, Commission).
Governing Authority: The executive body to which the director reports/is responsible. It is charged with the
fiduciary responsibility for the museum and for approving museum policy.
Names of Governing Authority include: Advisory Council, Board of Commissioners, Board of Directors,
Board of Managers, Board of Regents, Board of Trustees, City Council, Commission.
Head of Governing Authority: The elected or appointed head of the executive body (governing authority) to
which the director reports. For institutions that are part of a larger non-museum parent organization, the head
of governing authority is considered to be the individual within the institution’s larger parent organization to
whom the director reports/is responsible (e.g., dean or provost of a university, director of parks and recreation
for a city government, military post commander, etc.)
Museum system: two or more museums or museum facilities that share a common parent organization. The
component parts of a museum system may be museums operating independently or quasi-independently with
distinct budgets and governing authorities, or may simply be separate, distinguishable sites all managed by the
same organization.
Operating income and expenses: income generated by or expenditures supporting the museum’s general
operations in a given fiscal year, including exhibitions, education, conservation, collections management,
collections acquisitions, research, training, development, and administration. Includes any portion of income from
the endowment that is applied to operating expenses in a given year. Does not include capital expenditures.
Parent organization: a larger organization within which a museum operates. Examples of parent organizations
are: colleges or universities; tribal, municipal, state, or federal government; state historical societies supervising
multiple sites; corporate foundation, etc.
Specialized museum: a museum that does not fall into or combine any of the other discipline areas listed in
question 14 of the application—for example, a quilt museum, clock museum, and stamp museum.
Standard: Generally accepted level of attainment for use as a basis of comparison in measuring or judging
performance.
Tangible objects: any three-dimensional objects that are used in any way at the museum. Collections managed
by virtual museums are not considered to be tangible objects.

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MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM APPLICATION
INSTITUTIONAL INFORMATION
Museum Name:
Alternate Name (if any):
Previous Name (if any):
Name of parent organization or friends group applying for this organization, if applicable:
Mailing Address:
City:

State:

Zip:

Physical Address (if different):
City:

State:

Zip:

Telephone:

Fax:

Web Address:

DUNS Number:
(see page 12 for descriptions)

E-mail:

TIN (EIN) Number:

Congressional district:
(If you do not know your museum’s district, go to www.house.gov and enter your zip code)

MAP ASSESSMENT TYPE (see page 5 for descriptions) (Check only one)
Organizational

Collections Stewardship

Community Engagement

NUMBER OF PEER REVIEWERS (see page 11 for more details):
One

Two (Cost is an additional $1,350)

MAP OBJECTIVES
1.

List three objectives your museum would most like this MAP assessment to accomplish and
why. Please refer to the sample objectives on pages 5-6 for guidance.
a)
b)
c)
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2.

What does your museum hope to get out of your MAP participation?

MAP ASSESSMENT TEAM
List all members of your anticipated Assessment Team (see page 8). Please indicate which person is
your primary point of contact by placing a “1” in the “#” column. Indicate which person is your secondary
contact by placing a “2” in the “#” column. (Attach separate sheet, if needed, to list additional Team
members.) Please note: your museum can have up to two primary contacts.

#

Full Name (include prefix)

Title

E-mail

Phone

ELIGIBILITY
The following questions are designed to determine your museum’s eligibility to participate in the
Museum Assessment Program. If you are uncertain or have questions, please contact MAP staff to
discuss. Note: If your organization is governed by a parent institution, all answers should refer to your
museum only.
3.

Is the museum organized as a public or private nonprofit or as a unit of state or local
government institution that exists on a permanent basis for essentially educational or aesthetic
purposes?
Yes
No

4.

Does the museum own, use, or care for tangible objects, whether animate or inanimate?
Yes
No

5.

Are these objects exhibited to the public on a regular basis through facilities the museum owns
or operates?
Yes
No

6.

Is the museum open and exhibiting to the public at least 90 days a year?
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Yes
No
7.

Total number of days the museum was open to the public for the 12-month period prior to
application: _
_ days
If your museum is not regularly open 90 days a year, please list additional dates that the
museum was open outside the normal operating schedule and the reason the museum was
open. Feel free to attach on a separate sheet, if needed.

8.

List below the museum’s schedule each day of the week. See page 13 for more information and
sample.
Date to
Date

9.

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thurs

Fri

Sat

Does the museum have at least one full-time2 (paid or unpaid) staff member or the equivalent3,
whose primary duty includes the governance, administration, programming, and collections
management of the museum?
Yes
No
How many people (paid or unpaid) work at the museum?
Total number of full-time paid staff
Total number of part-time4 paid staff
Total number of full-time unpaid staff
Total number of part-time unpaid staff

10.

Does your organization have a director?
Yes
No

11.

If yes, is the director of the museum full-time?
Yes

2

Full-time is defined as 35 hours per week.
An equivalent full-time staff member consists of 2-3 part-time paid or unpaid staff members with responsibilities that relate solely to the
museum’s services or operations.
4
Part-time is defined as less than 35 hours per week.
3

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No

__ ____volunteer
___
Director’s Name:
Responsibilities (Attach formal Position Description if available):
Hours per week (fill in work hours and total for week)
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun

12.

___ paid

Total

List up to five positions, other than the director, responsible for your museum’s activities and the
average number of hours per week each one works. See page 13 for more information.
__ ___volunteer __
Name:
Title:
Responsibilities (Attach formal Position Description if available):
Hours per week (fill in work hours and total for week)
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun

___paid

__ ___volunteer __
Name:
Title:
Responsibilities (Attach formal Position Description if available):
Hours per week (fill in work hours and total for week)
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun

___paid

__ ___volunteer __
Name:
Title:
Responsibilities (Attach formal Position Description if available):
Hours per week (fill in work hours and total for week)
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun

___paid

__ ___volunteer __
Name:
Title:
Responsibilities (Attach formal Position Description if available):
Hours per week (fill in work hours and total for week)
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun

___paid

__ ___volunteer __
Name:
Title:
Responsibilities (Attach formal Position Description if available):
Hours per week (fill in work hours and total for week)
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun

___paid

Total

Total

Total

Total

Total

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OPERATIONAL INFORMATION
Note: These questions do not relate to eligibility. Answers to these questions help us learn more about
your organization and match your organization with an appropriate Peer Reviewer.
Fiscal Year
Most recently completed
FY 20
Second most recently completed
FY 20
13.

Operating Income
$

Operating Expenses
$

$

$

What is your museum’s mission?
Is your museum’s mission statement formally approved by your governing authority?
Yes
No
If yes, what is the date it was originally adopted?
When was it last reviewed?

14.

Please check which of the following best describes your institution. If your museum is a general
museum representing more than one discipline, please check all the categories that best
describe your museum:
Air & Space
Aquarium
Arboretum/Botanical Gardens/Public Garden
Art museum/center
Children’s/youth museum
Ethnically/Culturally/Tribally Specific Museum (List:
_____)
General or Multi-Disciplinary museum (a museum representing two or more disciplines
equally).
Hall of Fame
Historic house/site/landscape
Historical Society
History
Maritime
Military
Natural history/anthropology
Nature center
Planetarium
Presidential Library
Science/technology
Specialized museum (a museum with collections limited to one narrowly defined
discipline—e.g., textiles, stamps, maritime, ethnic group) (List:
_)
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Transportation: Specific Area of Focus:
Visitor Center/Interpretive Center
Zoological society
15.

Does your museum have a parent organization?
Yes
No
If yes, which one of the following best describes your museum’s parent organization?
a. College/university
b. Museum or museum system
c. Government
d. Other, Non-Government. Describe here:

16.

_

Which one of the following best describes your museum’s governance? (Please select only
one: Note: if your museum has a parent organization, please indicate the nature of your parent’s
governing authority.)
a. Municipal
b. County
c. State
d. Federal
e. Tribal
f. Private nonprofit
g. For-profit
h. Dual Governance (which ones:
i. Other:

_)

17.

Year the museum was first open and exhibiting to the general public:

18.

Museum’s attendance for the 12-month period prior to application:
Onsite
__
____
Offsite
___
___
Virtual/Web ___
___

19.

If your institution currently utilizes any social media platform, include addresses:
Blog:
Facebook:
Twitter:
YouTube:
Other:

20.

Briefly describe your museum’s major programs.

21.

Briefly describe your major exhibits.
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22.

If your museum owns, manages or borrows collections items, please indicate the types of
objects. Check all that apply.
Aeronautics, space/airplanes
Animals, live
Animals, preserved
Anthropological, ethnographic
Archaeological
Books
Ceramics, glass, metals, plastics
Documents, manuscripts
Furniture/wooden objects
Geological, mineral, paleontological
Historic building
Historic sites
Horological (clocks)
Landscape features, constructed
Machinery
Maritime, historic ships
Medals
Medical, dental, health, pharmacological
Military, including weapons
Motion picture, audiovisual
Musical instruments
Numismatics (money)
Paintings
Philatelic (stamps)
Photography, negatives
Photography, prints
Physical science projects
Plants, live
Plant, preserved
Sculpture, indoor
Sculpture, outdoor
Textiles and costumes
Tools
Toys and dolls
Transportation, excluding airplanes
Works of art on paper
Other:

23.

How many objects does the museum have in its collections (actual or estimated)?

24.

Briefly describe your museum’s facilities (including buildings and grounds).

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25.

If your museum is located within a larger facility (e.g., a university gallery within a classroom
building), indicate how your museum exercises control over its exhibition or program space.

26.

Which of the following plans, policies and documents does your museum have in writing?
Check all that apply.
Accounting & internal control
Business support
Collections management policy
Collections plan
Conservation plan
Emergency/Disaster Preparedness & Recovery Plan
Facilities use/ facilities rental
Furnishing plan (historic sites)
Governance manual
Housekeeping plan
Individual donor support
Institutional code of ethics
Institutional plan (strategic or long-range)
Interpretive plan or education master plan
Investment (e.g. endowment investment)
Landscaping/grounds maintenance plan
Marketing plan
Personnel policy issues (Benefits, Compensation, Diversity, Grievance, Harassment,
Performance Management, Personnel Records & Privacy, Separation, etc.)
Vision/Value statement(s)
Volunteer manual
Other (please specify):

27.

Does your museum have some type of institutional planning process in place?
Yes
No
If yes, is it?
Formal
Informal
If informal, please describe:

28.

For Collections Stewardship Assessment applicants, does your museum currently have a
collections management policy?
No, and none in development
No, but we can guarantee a draft will be in place before the MAP Peer Reviewer’s visit
Yes, in development
Yes, and approved by our governing authority
If the policy is in draft form and not yet approved by your governing authority, explain the status
of the draft.

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29.

Rate the frequency of communication among paid staff, non-paid staff, and governing authority
members at your museum.
Infrequent
Somewhat frequent
Very frequent
Routine

30.

Within the past five years, has your organization experienced (check all that apply):
Significant change of mission/purpose
Change of executive director
Sudden Departure/Death of a director
Retrenchment
Staff layoffs of 10% or more
Capital Campaign
Media Controversy
Embezzlement/Fiscal Irregularities
Becoming Accredited
Turnover of 30% or more of staff
Violation of Institutional Code of Ethics
Hiring of first professional staff/director
Opening a new building or new museum
Closing a Museum
Expansion of same facility
Construction of new facility
Moving to a different facility
Restoration of a building
Acquire a satellite property
Disaster (flood/fire/earthquake)
Cancellation of capital improvements or expansion plans
Budget deficits of 25% or more
Increase in budget of over 25%
Loss of significant funding that adversely affected the organization’s ability to fulfill its
mission
Public pressure to cancel or alter exhibit content
Legal partnership with for-profit entity
Merger with another institution
Separation from a parent
Separation from another museum
Governance Change
Founder, serves on Board
Founder, serves as Director
Death of a Founder
Organizational restructuring
Theft of collections objects
Acquire significant collection
Hazardous Materials
NAGPRA
Nazi-Era Provenance
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Deaccessioning Issues
Ownership dispute/claim against museum or repatriation of object(s)
Other:
If you checked any of the above, briefly describe the circumstances related to the situation(s):

31.

What are the museum’s financial priorities for the next three to five years? Check all that apply.
Building operating endowment
Build other endowment. List fund purpose:
Capital campaign
Increase cash reserves
Increase earned income
Raise funds for other special project or need (explain):
Reduce/eliminate debt
Strengthen overall financial health and stability
Other (explain):

ASSESSMENT HISTORY
Read the eligibility instructions on page 10 and complete the following questions.
32.

Has the museum previously completed an IMLS funded MAP assessment? If so, list years.
Yes

Year

No

Don’t Know

Collections Stewardship Assessment
Organizational Assessment
Community Engagement Assessment
If your museum participated in any MAPs in the past, please answer the following questions:
33.

Describe what accomplishments your museum has achieved since its previous MAP.

34.

Describe your museum’s desire for a new assessment (attach additional pages if needed).

Applicants are not required to have previously participated in other assessment programs, but this
information will provide useful background to the peer reviewer.
35.

Has your museum participated in:
a) Heritage Preservation’s Conservation Assessment Program?
Yes
No
If yes, what year(s):
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b) American Association for State and Local History’s Standards and Excellence Program for
History Organizations?
Yes
No
If yes, what year did your museum begin:
Which sections has your museum worked on:
How has StEPs helped your museum prepare for MAP:
c) Alliance’s Core Documents Verification?
Yes
Currently in progress
No but planning to apply
No and not planning to apply
If yes, which documents have passed Core and what years:
Document Type
Mission
Institutional Code of Ethics
Institution/Strategic Plan
Collections Management Policy
Emergency Response/Disaster
Preparedness Plan

Year Verified

d) Has your museum participated in other programs that helped prepare it for MAP?
Yes
No
If yes, what programs:
36.

Is the museum considering applying for AAM Accreditation?
Yes
No
Not sure
Already accredited by AAM
If yes, when does the museum plan to apply:
1-3 years
4-5 years
6-10 years
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11 or more years

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APPLICATION EVALUATION
1. Including time from all people who participated, approximately how many hours went into preparing
and completing this application?

2. How valuable was filling out the MAP application for your thinking about your institution and how it
works?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
(not at all valuable)

(very valuable)

a. If you said 1 to 9, what would make it a 10?
3. Thinking about the process you just went through to complete the MAP application, please indicate
how much you disagree or agree with the following statements:
Completely
Disagree
1

2

3

4

5

6

Completely
Agree
7

The overall description of the MAP
program was clear.
Instructions for filling out the
application were easy to follow.
Filling out the application was easy to
do.
Filling out the application had
educational value for my museum.
Filling out the application provided
opportunities to discuss important
institutional priorities.

4. Did you encounter any challenge(s) while filling out the application?
_ ___ Yes
_ ___ No
a. If Yes, please specify:
5. Did you need to contact MAP staff during the application process?
__ __ Yes
_ ___ No
a. If Yes, were they able to help resolve your issue? __

__ Yes __

__ No

b. If No, please explain.

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6. Where did you receive information about MAP? Please check all that apply.
The Alliance website
MAP brochure
From a colleague at my museum
From a colleague at another museum
Session at a national, regional or state museum association (please specify):
Listserv posting (please specify):
Discussion with MAP staff
Discussion with IMLS staff
IMLS website/publication (please specify):
Aviso
Newsletter announcement (please specify):
Other (please specify):
a. If you checked more than one source, which was most influential in your decision to submit a
MAP application?
Please provide us with any additional comments on the application process you’d like to share:

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SIGNATURES
We (the undersigned) have examined this MAP Application and agree upon the principle objectives of
the Assessment we chose. We have discussed the MAP process with the governing authority and staff
(paid and unpaid) and will engage them as appropriate in the steps of the process. We are ready to
work together to identify our current stage of development and institutional needs and to facilitate
change. We will review all recommendations that come out of the assessment and incorporate them
into our planning. We will pay any associated costs to participate (if applicable) and devote the time
needed to complete our MAP Assessment within the designated time period.
We have examined this application, and to the best of our knowledge, we hereby certify that the
information provided is true and correct and all requirements for a complete Museum Assessment
Program application have been fulfilled.
Two original signatures are required below:
Museum Director/CEO’s signature:*
____________________________________________________ Date: ______
Name:

Title:

Phone:

E-mail:

Head of Governing Authority’s (see glossary) signature:
____________________________________________________ Date: ______
Name:

Title:

Phone:

E-mail:

Additional Governing Authority Member’s signature: (only for museums without a
Director/CEO)
____________________________________________________ Date: ______
Name:

Title:

Phone:

E-mail:

*If there is no museum director, please have the head of the governing authority sign as well as a
second person from the Governing Authority.

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