Dorsky Museum selected to participate in National Museum Assessment Program

The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz has been selected to participate in the Museum Assessment Program (MAP).  Through guided self-study and on-site consultation with a museum professional, participation in MAP will empower The Dorskyto better serve the residents of New Paltz and the Hudson Valley region by facilitating its meeting and exceeding the highest professional standards of the museum field.

The program is funded by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and throughout its 30 years has been administered by the American Association of Museums (AAM). As part of the IMLS National Leadership Program, MAP advances best practices and fosters improvement in museums.

“We are very excited to be participating in the Museum Assessment Program,” said Sara Pasti, the Neil C. Trager Director of The Dorsky. “The museum was dedicated in October 2001, so we are a relatively young institution. We welcome this opportunity to take a look at our collections, exhibitions, and programs to see what we can do to improve our service to the campus and regional communities.”

Museums use the assessment process to strengthen operations, build capacity, and enhance communication throughout the organization and in response to community needs.  Participant museums choose one of three categories for its assessment: Collections Stewardship Organizational, Community Engagement.According to Pasti,The Dorskyis taking part in the Organizational assessment process.

“Choosing to be part of the MAP program is indicative of the commitment to civic involvement, public service and overall excellence on the part of The Dorsky,” said Ford W. Bell, president of AAM. “Studies have shown America’s museums to be among the country’s most trusted and valued institutions. MAP is designed to make them even better.”

For more information, including a complete list of museums participating in MAP, visit www.aam-us.org/map.

ABOUT THE DORSKY MUSEUM
The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, located at SUNY New Paltz, is fast gaining wide recognition as the premier public showplace for exhibition, education, and cultural scholarship about the Hudson Valley region’s art and artists from yesterday and today. With more than 9,000 square feet of exhibition space distributed over six galleries, the Dorsky Museum is one of the largest museums within the SUNY system. The Dorsky was officially dedicated on October 20, 2001. Since then it has presented over one hundred exhibitions, including commissions, collection-based projects, and in-depth studies of contemporary artists including Robert Morris, Alice Neel, Judy Pfaff, Carolee Schneemann, and Ushio Shinohara, among others.

Museum Hours:
Wednesday-Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Closed Mondays, Tuesdays, Holidays, and Intersessions.

For more information about The Dorsky Museum and its programs visit http://www.newpaltz.edu/museum or call (845) 257-3844.