Low morale, fast staff turnover: Louisiana's ten state museums are at risk of failing a key test

"The credibility of ten cultural institutions under the auspices of the Louisiana State Museum (LSM) system is on the line. The system was last accredited in 2011, and its status is currently under review by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). A decision regarding LSM's accreditation will be made sometime next year. LSM is a satellite network of museums across the state of Louisiana."

"The non-profit AAM advocates for museums of all types, providing standards-based assessments and requiring its member institutions to undergo reaccreditation every ten years or so. AAM is the only such entity in the US, and its accreditation is considered crucial to the perceived legitimacy of a cultural institution. The problem stems from the fact that it is not immediately clear whether LSM-overseen by Louisiana's lieutenant governor (who also appoints its director) and funded in part by taxpayer dollars-meets the professional standards necessary for AAM reaccreditation."

"LSM has been subject to much ire and chagrin in recent years, stemming largely from a 2023 audit that found a poor work culture and persistent conflation of political and public interests by the entities charged with its oversight and management. The audit specifically highlighted low morale and high turnover among its employees, poor record-keeping, a lack of public transparency and a failure to maintain a strategic plan or a detailed budget."

The Louisiana State Museum (LSM) system, which oversees ten cultural institutions including the New Orleans Jazz Museum and the Louisiana Civil Rights Museum, is undergoing an accreditation review by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). The system's previous accreditation was in 2011, and AAM's decision is expected next year. AAM, the sole U.S. museum-accrediting nonprofit, requires periodic reaccreditation and its seal is tied to institutional legitimacy. A 2023 audit identified poor work culture, low morale, high turnover, poor record-keeping, lack of public transparency, and absence of strategic planning and detailed budgeting. LSM faces a lawsuit over century-old loaned artifacts and prior disputes about deaccessioning paintings.

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