The Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society has been chosen to participate in the 2023 Museum Assessment Program by the American Alliance of Museums, a significant step towards museum accreditation. This honor reflects the organization’s commitment to transitioning from a small, volunteer-driven history advocate to a full-fledged professional museum presence in Santa Clarita. The Museum Assessment Program has helped over 5,000 museums of all types strengthen their operations, plan for the future, and meet current professional standards over the last 50 years.

Museum Assessment Program: A Critical Step towards Accreditation

The Museum Assessment Program is a year-long program that helps museums evaluate both functional and strategic aspects of their operations, including diversity, equity, access, and inclusion issues related to the assessment focus. The program includes a peer-reviewed site visit, which assists museums in planning for the future, ensuring that they are on the right track, and providing a roadmap for further improvements as they pursue accreditation in their field.

A Historical Society on a Journey of Growth

For over 45 years, the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society has been an essential resource for the valley and surrounding areas, preserving artifacts and sharing the stories of the people who founded and grew the communities of Newhall, Saugus, Canyon Country, and Valencia into the city of Santa Clarita and beyond. Over the years, the community has expanded, and with it, the society’s mission. They have assembled a high-powered steering committee of local community leaders and have retained a professional museum consultant to help them plan a new museum in one of their eight buildings.

Working Towards Creating One of the Premier Local History Museums in Southern California

The Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society is ramping up staffing and implementing “best practices” in collections care to curate a massive collection of artifacts and photographs. The MAP assessment will serve as both a checkup to ensure they are on the right track and a roadmap for further improvements as they pursue accreditation in their field. The museum hopes to create one of the premier local history museums in Southern California, serving a community that is not only four or five times larger but also more sophisticated and diverse with higher expectations for a museum experience.

Conclusion

The Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society has been selected for the 2023 Museum Assessment Program, a critical step towards museum accreditation. The program will help the museum evaluate both functional and strategic aspects of their operations, and a peer-reviewed site visit will assist them in planning for the future. The museum is determined to evolve from a small, volunteer-driven history advocate to a full-fledged professional museum presence in Santa Clarita, creating one of the premier local history museums in Southern California.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• What is the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society?

  The Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history of the Santa Clarita Valley and surrounding areas, including the communities of Newhall, Saugus, Canyon Country, and Valencia. They collect and preserve artifacts and stories of the people who founded and grew the communities.

• What is the American Alliance of Museums’ Museum Assessment Program?

  The American Alliance of Museums’ Museum Assessment Program (MAP) is a program that helps museums of all types strengthen their operations, plan for the future, and meet current professional standards. The program includes a year-long assessment process that helps museums examine both functional and strategic aspects of their operations and includes a peer-reviewed site visit.

• What are the benefits of participating in the Museum Assessment Program?

  Participating in the Museum Assessment Program can help museums strengthen their operations and plan for the future, as well as meet current professional standards. The program also includes a focus on diversity, equity, access, and inclusion issues as they relate to the assessment focus.

• What are the plans of the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society to create a new museum?

  The Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society has assembled a high-powered steering committee of local community leaders and retained a professional museum consultant to help plan a new museum in one of their eight buildings. The Society intends to create one of the premier local history museums in Southern California.

• What is the history of the communities of Newhall, Saugus, Canyon Country, and Valencia?

  The communities of Newhall, Saugus, Canyon Country, and Valencia are all part of the Santa Clarita Valley, located in Los Angeles County, California. These communities have a rich history dating back to the early 1800s, with the arrival of Spanish explorers and missionaries. Over time, the area became known for its ranching, mining, and oil industries, and in the mid-20th century, it became a popular location for filming movies and television shows. Today, the communities have grown