The award is given annually to six institutions for superlative work, innovative programs and active partnerships. It was established in 1994 to underscore the powerful role of both museums and libraries as leaders in society.

The award recipient will be announced by the White House in the fall. Last year, First Lady Laura Bush presented the awards.

McKissick received four nominations for the national award.

"Just to be nominated in this process is quite an honor for McKissick and the University of South Carolina," said Lynn Robertson, the museum's director. "Only museums that have made an important and lasting contribution to their community are considered. "

McKissick's nomination stressed the USC museum as a center of teaching and research whose outreach efforts show an appreciation for local history, traditional culture and preservation.

"We strive to give people the tools for better understanding and appreciating Southern life," said Robertson.

"I know our recent work with the exhibition, 'A Portion of the People: Three Hundred Years of Southern Jewish Life,' and the expanding reach of our folklife program through film and Internet were factors that placed McKissick in the running for the award. It is very gratifying to see McKissick's commitment to enrich community life in South Carolina be recognized."

The nomination caps a string of honors for McKissick. The museum has received the Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Award and the Governor's Award for the Humanities.

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