Norman Rockwell Museum Director Appointed to American Alliance of Museums
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STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — Norman Rockwell Museum announced the appointment of Director/CEO Laurie Norton Moffatt to the Accreditation Commission of the American Alliance of Museums (AAM).
According to a press release, the AAM Accreditation Program—considered the gold standard for museum excellence for over 50 years—relies on the dedication and collective experience of the Accreditation Commission.
These volunteers make decisions regarding a museum's accreditation status and provide leadership to the field to ensure that museums are aligned with their own missions, changing communities, and the environment in which they operate and serve the public.
Commissioners are invited to self-nominate and are appointed by the AAM Board Chair based on recommendations from a nominating committee composed of representatives from the AAM Board, Accreditation Commission, and several discipline-specific organizations. This year's nominating committee received 78 applications for only 6 spots.
"I am thrilled and gratified by this honor. Over the years, Norman Rockwell Museum has received profound professional guidance, learning, and relationship-building through the Accreditation and Excellence Programs. I am deeply appreciative of the opportunity to give back to this process," Norton Moffatt said.
Norton Moffatt's term began on Aug. 1, 2023, and concludes on Dec. 31, 2027.
"Laurie Norton Moffatt is a quintessential museum leader. She has single-handedly led the growth and expansion of the Norman Rockwell Museum to be the prominent, influential, and impactful museum it is today. She knows the ins and outs of setting and sustaining standards in a museum. She has a very deep commitment to ensuring museums serve society with excellence and inclusion, and will make valuable and lasting contributions to the Commission," said a Nominating Committee interviewer in recommending Norton Moffatt for the role.
Laurie Norton Moffatt has led Norman Rockwell Museum since 1986, after serving as curator for several years.
According to a press release, her leadership transformed the Museum from a small house museum to an internationally visited art museum and scholarly center.
A global champion for Norman Rockwell and the field of illustration art, she is widely considered one of the museum community's most visionary leaders and thinkers. She has successfully invited reconsideration of Rockwell, who is now seen through a new art-critical lens and recognized for his contributions to the American struggles for equity and justice.
Norman Rockwell Museum under Norton Moffat's vigorous leadership aspires to serve as a community anchor and agent of social change—functions that Norton Moffatt believes to be essential dimensions of museums' public missions.
"I believe that museums are among our most important civic organizations. They must adapt to
meet the needs of new generations and be representative of an inclusive society. I would like to help
the profession evolve, as it has over many decades, and help museums continue to be the strong
anchors of a community that they can be," Norton Moffatt said.
After taking the then-emerging Norman Rockwell Museum through four MAP assessments (an AAM self-assessment for smaller museums), Norton Moffatt led the Museum through its initial AAM accreditation in 1997 and subsequent successful reaccreditation cycles, most recently in 2022.
She has been an active Peer Reviewer for the Accreditation and Museum Assessment Programs for 20 years. She also brings experience with accreditation in higher education and the medical field in her roles as a college trustee board member and director of a regional hospital system board. Norton Moffatt is a member of the Association of Art Museum Directors.
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