San Antonio Museum of Art Receives Highest National Recognition

San Antonio, TX—July 24, 2025— The San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) has again achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, 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. SAMA has been accredited since 2000. All museums must undergo a reaccreditation review at least every ten years to maintain accredited status.  

Alliance 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 Alliance’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. 

“We are delighted to earn reaccreditation from the American Alliance of Museums, the highest honor given to the top museums across the nation,” said Emily Ballew Neff, the Kelso Director of SAMA. “This national recognition demonstrates the strong bill of health for our organization and our commitment to excellence and integrity, thanks to the SAMA Board, staff, docents, members, volunteers, and the broader San Antonio community that helps us thrive. The Museum first earned the highest national recognition in 2000, marking twenty-five years committed to reaching this high standard.”

Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, roughly 1,100 are currently accredited. SAMA is one of only 49 museums accredited in Texas.

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.

“Accreditation is a monumental achievement,” said Marilyn Jackson, AAM President & CEO. “The process demonstrates an institution’s commitment to best practice and is flexible enough to be accomplished by museums of any size.”

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San Antonio Museum of Art: 

The San Antonio Museum of Art serves as a forum to explore and connect with art that spans the world’s geographies, artistic periods, genres, and cultures. Its collection contains more than 30,000 works representing 5,000 years of history. Housed in the historic Lone Star Brewery on the Museum Reach of San Antonio’s River Walk, the San Antonio Museum of Art is committed to promoting the rich cultural heritage and life of the city.

For more information, visit samuseum.org.

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.

Media: 
For interviews, digital images, or additional information, please contact: 
Alma Solís, PR & Social Media Manager 
210.978.8113 | alma.solis@samuseum.org