MUNCIE, Ind. -- A federal agency has again honored the Ball State University Museum of Art for outstanding performance in all areas of museum operations, awarding a $92,000 grant.

The two-year General Operating Support grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is the result of a national adjudication process. The grant provides unrestricted supplemental funds for the museum’s ongoing activities through September 2000.

Only 186 of the nation’s 5,000-plus museums received IMLS grants in this year’s cycle. Ball State’s art museum was the only recipient in Indiana.

IMLS grants are not based on financial need or a specific project. They recognize the nation’s best museums in the areas of following professional operational practices and efficiently using available resources to fulfill their stated missions.

The Ball State Museum of Art has received seven IMLS grants during the past 15 years, establishing a track record of superior performance, said Alain Joyaux, the museum’s director.

"The criteria are quite simple: do you know what you should be doing, do you do it exceptionally well and do you use all of your resources as efficiently as possible to do it?" Joyaux said. "On that scoring set, we are in the top 2 percent to 5 percent of the museums in the United States, and that fact has been pointed out by our long list of GOS grants."

To apply for the highly competitive grants, museums must evaluate every aspect of their operations, from collections care and maintenance to education programs and exhibits. Applications are reviewed by experienced professionals in the museum field.

The Ball State museum’s standard score ranked among the top half of this year’s grant recipients. A total of 942 applications were submitted by eligible institutions around the country--from art, history, science and nature museums to zoos, arboretums and children’s museums.

IMLS awarded nearly $16 million in General Operating Support grants this year. Individual grant amounts equal 15 percent of a museum’s operating budget up to $112,500. The independent federal grantmaking agency fosters leadership, innovation and a lifetime of learning by supporting exceptional museums and libraries.

"The grant provides national recognition for museums that have the highest approval of their peers," said IMLS Director Diane Frankel. "It is a stamp of achievement that sparks vital public-private partnerships. Museums use these awards to do what they do best: educate, fascinate, inspire, illuminate, inform, enhance and enrich the lives of millions of visitors each year."

The Ball State Museum of Art plans to use its grant to continue preserving works of art and enhancing its educational services, such as the artwork database and school programs.

Grant money cannot be used for art acquisitions, museum construction and renovation, costs of social activities and entertainment, or contributions to endowment funds.

Ball State’s art museum opened in 1936 and boasts a permanent collection of some 10,000 works valued at more than $40 million. Works include a wide range of American, European, Asian, African, Oceanic and pre-Columbian art, from paintings and prints to sculpture, ancient glass and other decorative arts.

The museum also presents numerous educational and social programs throughout the year, including Gallery Talks, Friday With Friends receptions and Art for Lunch talks.

Admission to the Ball State Museum of Art is free. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Phone: (765) 285-5242.