The Block has a sustained impact on its audiences who join us in asking bold questions and who find meaning in ongoing engagement with the museum.
The Block is integral to Northwestern's commitments to academic excellence, dialogue across differences, public discourse, and student sense of belonging.
The Block is considered fundamental to teaching, learning, and research by faculty, students, and staff across all of Northwestern’s twelve schools.
The Block consistently embodies Northwestern's values and priorities in decision-making, in organizational culture, and in all aspects of its work.
The Block propels the work of academic art museums forward, contributing to their potential, deepening their relevance, and expanding their value.
The Block Museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums (AAM). Accreditation recognizes high standards and ensures that museums uphold their public trust. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for more than 35 years, AAM’s museum accreditation program is the field’s primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation, and public accountability.
The Block Museum of Art proudly recognizes its peers in the Consortium of Chicagoland Academic Museums and Galleries:
DePaul Art Museum, DePaul University; Gallery 400, University of Illinois at Chicago; Museum of Contemporary Photography, Columbia College; SAIC Galleries, School of the Art institute of Chicago; Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago
The Block is a member of the College and University Art Museums Reciprocal Program, through which academic museums have opened their doors to the members of other teaching museums. Visitors have the opportunity to see how other schools use their collections for teaching and enjoyment.
