Showcasing Appalachian history, ETSU’s Reece Museum wins major honor

The B. Carroll Reece Museum has earned reaccreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, a distinction achieved by fewer than 1,200 of the nation’s 33,000 museums.  

It’s the highest recognition in the museum world.

And the Reece Museum, located on the main campus of East Tennessee State University, is celebrating six decades of public service throughout the coming year. The museum was formally dedicated on October 10, 1965, after Louise Goff Reece donated her late husband’s personal library and congressional materials to establish the B. Carroll Reece Memorial Collection as a “storehouse of knowledge” for university students and Tennessee citizens.

B. Carroll Reece represented Northeast Tennessee in Congress for nearly 40 years.  

Today, the museum houses approximately 22,000 artifacts capturing the Appalachian region’s past as well as its contemporary art and culture. The Reece Museum has maintained AAM accreditation standards since 1973.

“Such an outstanding reaccreditation review would not have been possible without the contributions of our community,” said Rebecca Proffitt, Reece Museum director.

The accreditation process examines all aspects of a museum’s operations, requiring a year of self-study followed by a peer review site visit before AAM’s Accreditation Commission makes its determination.

“The Reece Museum’s reaccreditation underscores not only its national standing, but also its profound value to our university and our region,” said Dr. Joe Bidwell, dean of ETSU’s College of Arts and Sciences. “For six decades, the museum has served as a cultural and educational cornerstone, connecting our community to history, art and scholarship.”

The Reece Museum is one of only 17 accredited museums in Tennessee and one of just two accredited museums on a university campus in the state. In East Tennessee, only five accredited museums exist.

Such accolades are one of the many reasons why ETSU is the flagship institution of Appalachia.  

The museum is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Follow the museum on social media for updates, with special posts highlighting the museum’s history starting on Oct. 6.