Love the one you're with

“Accepting oneself does not preclude an attempt to become better.”
― Flannery O'Connor

As Andalusia enters organizational adolescence, it is a good time to take stock of whence we were born, where we have been, where we are, and where we are going. The Andalusia Foundation was established in 2001 and the property was opened to the public shortly thereafter. At 13 years old, our coming of age story, or bildungsroman as it is known in literary criticism, can be seen as a tale of vision and hard work and the support of so many individuals, foundations and government funders. To help us in our rite of passage, we are fortunate to have been awarded a MAP grant. MAP is an acronym for Museum Assessment Program and is supported through a cooperative agreement between the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the American Alliance of Museums. The grant is not cash but expertise and provides guidance in meeting priorities and goals and understanding how our museum compares to standards and best practices. Since 1981, the program has helped over 4,300 museums maintain and improve operations through a confidential, consultative process. From now until early July our internal MAP team (staff, board members and other stakeholders) will be engaged in a guided self-study, a kind of self-acceptance exercise. This work will set the stage for a site visit by a peer reviewer later in the summer. The reviewer's report will suggest some action steps, frame strategic planning, and will offer us a view of the road to our next stage of growth. Stay tuned as we learn more about ourselves and chart a course for post-adolescence.

- Elizabeth Wylie, Executive Director

The Flannery O'Connor-Andalusia Foundation