FORT WORTH, Texas. The Fort Worth Botanic Garden has received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums, becoming one of a select group of institutions nationwide to earn the organization's highest recognition for excellence.
The accreditation places the Fort Worth Botanic Garden among approximately 1,100 museums accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, representing only a small fraction of the nation's estimated 33,000 museums.
Garden officials said the designation recognizes the institution's commitment to professional standards in collections stewardship, education, conservation and public service.
"This accreditation is more than a credential. It's a reflection of years of hard work, integrity, and dedication from our staff, volunteers, and board," said Patrick Newman, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. "It tells our community, our partners and every visitor who walks through our gates that Fort Worth Botanic Garden meets the highest standards in our field."
Although best known as a public garden, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden qualifies for museum accreditation because the American Alliance of Museums recognizes botanical gardens as specialized museums focused on living plant collections, scientific research, conservation and public education.
The accreditation also reflects the work of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT), the garden's research division, which merged with the Fort Worth Botanic Garden to create a unified organization.
"We commend the thoughtful and successful merger of BRIT with the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, bringing distinct institutional identities into a shared mission and operational framework while maintaining a strong level of cohesion across the operation," said Lisa Tremper Hanover, chair of the American Alliance of Museums Accreditation Commission.
The accreditation places the Fort Worth Botanic Garden alongside some of the nation's most recognized museums, including the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the American Museum of Natural History.
Among botanical institutions, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden joins an exclusive group that includes the Chicago Botanic Garden, the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C., and the New York Botanical Garden.
Locally, the garden now shares the distinction with several Fort Worth cultural institutions accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, including the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, the Kimbell Art Museum, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the Sid Richardson Museum.
To celebrate the achievement, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden is offering buy-one-get-one-free admission throughout August. The promotion is available only for tickets purchased in person at the garden. Summer operating hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the final admission tickets sold at 2 p.m.
