Buffalo Bill Center of the West Remains in the top 5% of Museums in the Nation
CODY, WY, UNITED STATES, March 26, 2026 – Press Release – The Buffalo Bill Center of the West (BBCW) has been awarded reaccreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Accreditation Commission, following its February 2026 review. The distinction places the Center among a distinguished community of museums that have chosen to hold themselves publicly accountable to the highest standards in the field.
AAM accreditation is the museum field’s most rigorous peer-reviewed recognition, requiring an extensive self-study and on-site evaluation against the Alliance’s National Standards and Best Practices for U.S. Museums. Fewer than 5% of the nation’s museums have earned this distinction.
“Fewer than 5% of the nation’s museums have earned this distinction.”
— AAM Accreditation Commission, February 2026
In its letter to the Center, the Accreditation Commission commended the BBCW for several exemplary areas of practice — particularly its education programs and collecting practices, which both preserve and bring to life the culture of the American West. The Commission also highlighted the Center’s commitment to excellence, ensuring its collections and programs are accessible for years to come, and praised its institutional culture of continual innovation.
“Through a rigorous process of self-assessment and review by its peers, the museum has shown itself to be a good steward of its resources held in the public trust and committed to a philosophy of continual institutional growth.”
— AAM Accreditation Commission, February 2026
The reaccreditation affirms what visitors and staff have long known: the Buffalo Bill Center of the West is not only a steward of irreplaceable Western American history, but a living, evolving institution that continually grows to serve its community and the broader public. The Center’s next accreditation self-study is due in March 2036.
Accredited museums are recognized as leaders in the field and are encouraged to mentor and support other institutions working to meet professional standards — a responsibility the Buffalo Bill Center of the West embraces as part of its mission.
About the Buffalo Bill Center of the West
The Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming is one of the finest Western American history museums in the world. A complex of five museums — the Buffalo Bill Museum, the Whitney Western Art Museum, the Draper Natural History Museum, the Plains Indian Museum, and the Cody Firearms Museum — the Center is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the heritage of the American West for present and future generations.
About AAM Accreditation
The American Alliance of Museums has been the leader in setting standards for the museum field since 1906. Its accreditation program, established in 1971, is the only peer-reviewed museum accreditation program in the United States. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, and the public.
This article is proudly sponsored by
