Secretary Moses hired a professional curator and a staff assistant in 1970 as the exhibit function of the GAR Memorial Hall became its main activity. Following the systematic cataloging of  historic artifacts, the American Association of Museums (AAM) accredited the GAR Memorial Hall Museum in 1974. AAM accreditation results only when museums meet established standards of operation. Attendance figures reflected the popularity of the museum as visitation averaged 80,000 per year for over a decade, the highest attendance of all Madison museums.