Tribal Museum Attains Interim Accreditation

Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki to be First Accredited Native Museum

By Chris Jenkins

BIG CYPRESS — The Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum made history on Dec. 7, 2007 after receiving notification that the museum will soon join the ranks of a relatively short list of nationally accredited museums. This was a day the staff had been waiting anxiously for, as the Tribe’s museum will become the first Native American museum to be accredited, gaining interim status.

According to Museum Director Anne McCudden, this is an accomplishment only 10 percent of museums nationwide achieve. She explained that the final recommendation could take up to a year from the American Association of Museum’s (AAM) Accreditation Commission. In preparation, a Museum Assessment Program Grant application was submitted to the AAM, which is designed to help museums assess their strengths and weaknesses, and plan ahead.

McCudden said five important criteria were also involved along the way to complete the accreditation process. These steps included: owning a physical collection, being educationally and interpretively trained, having a professionally trained staff in place, maintaining certain hours of operation, and being open to the public for at least a two year period.

“It makes us be more productive as a staff,” McCudden said. “Institutionally it has been extremely beneficial. We are now fully-functional.”

The entire process has been slow, but progressive, according to Chief Historic Resources Officer Tina Osceola.

“There were employees along the way who were not completely on board in the beginning,” Osceola said. “The biggest hurdle was admitting what we had or had not done in the process to get things done.”

Both Osceola and McCudden said they are very thankful to the Tribal Council for their influence and support throughout.

“We have been educating them throughout every part of this process,” Osceola said.

Osceola added that the move will be significant for everyone in the long run.

“Accreditation will better the museum program and the Tribe in general,” she said. “The major benefits all stem out of the sustainability factor.”

The trailblazing influence the Seminole Tribe has is something Osceola said is a confidence builder for other Tribes.

“The Tribe has built a program that not only can be modeled, but be used as a mentor,” Osceola said. “In the big picture what we do has an effect on other Tribes.”

“This will have a lasting effect for generations to come,” she added.