Join PA Museums for the Core Documents Verification Workshop being offered throughout the Commonwealth to help you get your museum’s five Core Documents in place, up to standards, and ready for Core Documents Verification. Created and administered by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), Core Documents Verification is a document review and recognition program that revolves around the evaluation of five Core Documents (see below) against a set of required elements. Completion of the program provides public confirmation that your institution has an educational mission and the policies and procedures in place that reflect standard practices of professional museums, as articulated in the AAM’s National Standards and Best Practices for U.S. Museums.
Why participate in Core Documents Verification?
- Get feedback on your museum’s core policies and plans.
- Build on your accomplishments and get recognition for achieving a level of professionalism.
- Streamline the path towards accreditation.
- Use as an accountability tool for keeping policies up to date.
- Contribute to field-wide advocacy efforts by sending a strong, visible messsage to the public and policymakers that the museum field is professional, accountable, and committed to shared standards and the quest for excellence.
- Become eligible for funding if the Pennsylvania Museum Preservation Act becomes law.
Why should I attend? You will leave this one-day workshop with:
- An Understanding of the required elements of each document and the important role of each document.
- Feedback on one or more of your museum’s Core Documents.
- Actual progress made on improving or developing one or more of your museum’s Core Documents.
- An Action plan for completing the rest.
What are the Core Documents?
The following five documents have been designated as Core Documents because they are fundamental for basic professional museum operations and embody core museum values and practices. They codify and guide decisions and actions that promote institutional stability and viability, which in turn allows the museum to fulfill its educational role, preserve treasures for future generations and be an enduring part of its community. Each has a set of required elements associated with it. Learn more about each document at one of our workshops.
- Mission Statement
- Institutional Code of Ethics
- Strategic Institutional Plan
- Disaster Preparedness/Emergency Response Plan
- Collections Management Policy
Where and When will the Workshops be Held?
Tuesday, November 18 at the Heinz History Center, 1212 Smallman St, Pittsburgh
*The workshop scheduled for Monday, November 17 at Erie Maritime Museum, 150 E Front St #100, Erie was cancelled due to scheduling and transportation issues.
The workshop will be held from 10 AM to 4:30 PM and includes a 30 minute break for lunch (boxed lunches and beverages are included) and two additional fifteen minute breaks. Registration begins at 9:30 AM. The workshop will be led by a professional staff member from the AAM: Julie Hart, Senior Director, Standards & Excellence Programs, or Accreditation Program Officers Travis Kirspel, Martha Sharma, or Allison Titman.
Training will include hands on review of some of your museum’s Core Documents and will use actual examples as demonstration. Each participant should, if possible, provide copies of their five core documents (or drafts if necessary) two weeks in advance of the session they are attending (please email to Chrisoula Randas Perdziola to help workshop facilitators prepare).
Participants should also bring a printed copy of their five Core Documents to the workshop. Museums are encouraged to have more than one staff person attend to share the understanding of the Core Documents.
The fee for each workshop is $30 per attendee for PA Museum members ($45 for non-members) and includes a boxed lunch and beverage. If you become a member of PA Museums at time of registration, one complimentary workshop registration will be given to your museum. To register or for more information, please email Chrisoula Randas Perdziola, Programming Specialist, PA Museums. Registration is first come, first served.