REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
October 20, 2026
FROM
DAVID MYERS, Director, Museum
SUBJECT
Title
American Alliance of Museums Core Documents Approval
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve the San Bernardino County Museum’s updated core documents required for continued accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, including the Museum’s Mission Statement, Institutional Code of Ethics, Strategic Institutional Plan, Disaster and Emergency Plan, and Collections Management Policy.
(Presenter: David Myers, Director, 798-8601)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote and Fulfill the Countywide Vision.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Enhance Readiness for Major Emergency Responses.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The recommended action is non-financial in nature.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The San Bernardino County Museum (Museum) is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the national organization representing professional standards and best practices for museums. The Museum is currently preparing for reaccreditation in 2027. Maintaining accreditation demonstrates the Museum’s commitment to responsible governance, stewardship of its collections, public service, and professional museum practices.
As part of the accreditation process, AAM requires accredited museums to maintain a set of core institutional documents (core documents) that establish the framework for how the institution operates and fulfills its public responsibilities. These core documents include the Museum’s Mission Statement, Institutional Code of Ethics, Strategic Institutional Plan, Disaster and Emergency Plan, and Collections Management Policy and are periodically reviewed and updated to ensure they remain current and reflect the Museum’s operations, priorities, and professional standards.
The Museum’s core documents were last approved by the Board of Supervisors on February 14, 2017 (Item No. 36) in preparation for the previous AAM reaccreditation process.
The Museum has completed a review and update of these core documents. The Mission Statement defines the Museum’s fundamental purpose and the communities it serves. The Institutional Code of Ethics establishes standards for professional and ethical conduct and guides decision-making throughout the Museum. The Strategic Institutional Plan identifies the Museum’s priorities and provides a framework for advancing its mission and evaluating progress. The Disaster and Emergency Plan establishes procedures for protecting visitors, staff, facilities, and collections and for responding to and recovering from emergencies. The Collections Management Policy establishes the principles and procedures governing the acquisition, documentation, care, use, and disposition of the Museum’s collections.
Together, these core documents provide the foundation for the Museum’s governance, planning, operations, and stewardship of County-held collections. The recommended action will approve the updated Mission Statement, Institutional Code of Ethics, Strategic Institutional Plan, Disaster and Emergency Plan, and Collections Management Policy. Board of Supervisors’ approval will demonstrate formal governing authority review and approval of these documents and support the Museum’s upcoming AAM reaccreditation process.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Kaleigh Ragon, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on September 25, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Dalton, Administrative Analyst, 387-5005) on October 1, 2026.