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The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, is one of 40 institutions to be awarded reaccreditation by the American Alliance of Museums. Initially awarded to the Appleton in 2013, accreditation is held by just 1,103 of the more than 33,000 museums in the United States. The AAM is the only organization representing the entire scope of the museum community.

“This recognition places the College of Central Florida’s Appleton Museum of Art among approximately 3% of the country’s museums,” said Dr. Jim Henningsen, 91��Ƭ president. “Our museum underwent a rigorous peer review and was awarded a status shared with the Smithsonian. We’re proud to serve as an education and cultural arts hub for our community.”

Appleton Museum Director Jason Steuber credited the hard work of the museum team.

“Thanks to 91��Ƭ’s leadership and support, the Appleton team delivered outstanding professional best practices and services when welcoming visitors to our one-of-a-kind iconic building to enjoy world-class collections and exhibitions in person,” Steuber said. “National recognition of the Appleton team’s hard work reaffirms the museum as an exceptional arts center and an unrivaled state educational resource for 91��Ƭ students and staff, north central Florida residents and the entire Sunshine State.”

Laura L. Lott, president and CEO of AAM, explained the significance of accreditation.

“Accredited museums are a community of institutions that have chosen to hold themselves publicly accountable to excellence,” Lott said. “Accreditation is clearly a significant achievement, of which both the institutions and the communities they serve can be extremely proud.”

Every 10 years, museums must undergo a reaccreditation review to maintain accreditation status. Over the course of 2022, the Appleton engaged in a rigorous process of self-assessment and peer review to demonstrate that standards and best practices continue to be met, and that the museum serves as an excellent steward of the collection and a place for education and learning.

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 .

The Appleton Museum, Artspace and Store are open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Admission is free on the first Saturday of each month. A campus of the College of Central Florida, the Appleton Museum of Art is located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, east of downtown on SR 40 (exit 352 east off I-75 or exit 268 west off I-95). Parking is free. For more information, call 352-291-4455 or visit .