American Alliance of Museums awards reaccreditation

The Museum at FIT (MFIT) has been reaccredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national standard of recognition afforded museums in the United States. This certifies that MFIT meets the most stringent standards of excellence, following a strenuous review process that AAM member museums undergo every ten years to maintain their accredited status. MFIT was accredited for the first time in 2012.

Of the nation’s estimated 35,000 museums, approximately three percent are currently accredited. Twenty of the nearly 150 museums located in New York City share this honor, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Museum of Modern Art.

Led for the past 25 years by Valerie Steele, director and chief curator, MFIT is the only specialized fashion museum in New York City.  Established in 1969 as The Design Laboratory at FIT, it was renamed The Museum at FIT in 1994. From the beginning, MFIT has served multiple audiences, including students, designers, and members of the public. 

MFIT is recognized worldwide for its innovative and award-winning exhibitions and public programs, and its permanent collection of more than 50,000 garments and accessories dating from the 18th century to the present. The mission of MFIT is to promote original research, creative thinking, and lifelong learning through exhibitions and public programs that educate and inspire diverse and inclusive audiences. Dr. Steele, who has personally organized more than 25 exhibitions at MFIT, was recognized by the National Arts Club this month with its 2022 Medal of Honor for Achievement in Fashion, becoming the first fashion historian to receive the honor. As author, curator, editor, and public intellectual, Dr. Steele has been instrumental in creating the modern field of Fashion Studies and in advancing recognition of the cultural significance of fashion.

“This reaccreditation—which signifies excellence, accountability and high professional standards–is a coveted designation that makes me–and the college–very proud,” said FIT President Joyce F. Brown. “I offer congratulations to Dr. Valerie Steele and to the entire staff for their achievement.”

“I am delighted that the AAM recognized MFIT’s ‘outstanding reputation,’ ‘rigorous scholarship,’ and ‘thought leadership,” said Valerie Steele. “The AAM peer reviewers reported that FIT ‘faculty members from a variety of disciplines… [described] how the museum advanced their scholarly pursuits and the experiential learning of their students.’ This is a real tribute to the museum’s talented and hardworking professional staff.”

MFIT is free and open to the public. In 2022, MFIT was ranked among the top five best free museums in the United States by readers of USA Today. For additional information, visit here.

Opening soon at The Museum at FIT:
Dior + Balenciaga: The Kings of Couture and Their Legacies, opens June 1–November 6, 2022.  Features iconic fashions by the two most important couturiers of the mid-twentieth century – Christian Dior and Cristobal Balenciaga.

SHOES: Anatomy, Identity, Magic, opens September 1–December 31, 2022. This major exhibition features approximately 400 of the 4,000 pairs of shoes in the permanent collection at MFIT.

Fresh, Fly, and Fabulous: Fifty Years of Hip Hop Style, opens February 8, 2023–April 23, 2023. This exhibition celebrates the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip hop by examining the roots and history of hip hop fashion from its inception to the present.

About The Museum at FIT (MFIT)
The Museum at FIT (MFIT) is the only museum in New York City dedicated solely to the art of fashion. Its mission is to promote original research, creative thinking, and lifelong learning through exhibitions and public programs that educate and inspire diverse and inclusive audiences Best known for its innovative and award-winning exhibitions, the museum has a permanent collection of more than 50,000 garments and accessories dating from the 18th century to the present. The museum is part of the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), a State University of New York college.