Accreditation

at Peel Compton Museum & Botanical Garden

The Peel Museum & Botanical Garden has achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) ahead of the Peel Museum’s 150th Anniversary Celebration in 2025. This accreditation is 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.

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Only 3% of museums are accredited nationwide

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Only 10 museums are accredited in the state

Highlights from Report

“The site is truly an ‘oasis’ in a very busy part of Bentonville.”

Click on the drop-downs below to read the highlights written by Marilyn Jackson, AAM President & CEO.

School Days Program

“The Peel Museum’s annual School Days program is an exceptional program with substantive and meaningful impact for all participants, partners, and the community. More specifically, this program represents the very best of community-based collaboration and the program’s curriculum is creative, robust, interactive, and engaging. Finally, the associated essay and art contest demonstrates a clear commitment to an interdisciplinary approach to educational programming.”

Inclusivity & Accessibility

“The Peel Museum’s commitment to inclusivity and accessibility is clear and obvious at every level of the organization. This commitment is represented by a language enabled website and by the creation of multi-lingual interpretative signage and educational experiences. The Peel also recently paved its walking paths to ensure and enhance accessibility to the site. This commitment is also reflected in the Museum’s decision to transition from fee-based to free, an action that has removed any financial barrier to public participation in the Museum’s offerings.”

Museum Tour

“The tour of the house was thoughtfully and skillfully facilitated, and the content was in alignment with the organizations’ mission and stories. Furthermore, interpretative elements throughout the five-acre site are interesting, engaging, attractive, and well done.”

Good Neighbor

“The Peel Museum is located in an extremely busy area along a primary thoroughfare in Bentonville and in proximity to numerous corporate office buildings. It is also adjacent to a Walmart. Given its location, it could be easy to miss, but the Museum has embraced this potential challenge and sought to leverage its location by being a “good neighbor.” Examples of this commitment include opening the grounds to those utilizing the adjacent bike/pedestrian path and offering programmatic opportunities to those working in the surrounding corporate facilities.”

Collaboration with Indigenous Groups

“The Peel Museum is seeking to diversify its educational programs and to expand its engagement with diverse communities in and around Bentonville. An important element of this work is related to learning more about and discussing Congressman Samuel Peel’s relationship with indigenous groups. In doing so, the Museum is in contact with Peel’s living descendants, and it is considering hiring an independent scholar, preferably from the indigenous community, to research the issue. Museum staff’s relationship with the local Museum of Native American History also provides access to tribal representatives and community members.”

A Learning Organization

“The Museum is clearly a “learning organization” and it is committed to listening to and learning from its guests, partners, and the larger community. This eagerness and willingness to listen, learn, and grow was reflected in multiple conversations with board, staff, partners, and community members. Even more importantly, the Museum is committed to taking action on what it learns, and this clear, consistent, and thoughtful approach is a hallmark of its organizational commitment to public service.”

“At Peel Museum, we are committed to excellence and are proud to be awarded Accreditation for our on-going practice of Best Standards and adherence to National Standards for Museums. In 2025, Peel Museum will turn 150 and as one of Bentonville’s oldest standing buildings, we will continue to strive to be a positive influence on the community and offer educational opportunities for the public.”
Chelsea Stewart, Museum Manager at Peel Museum & Botanical Garden.

“Accreditation is a monumental achievement. 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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