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To: Friends of the Southwest Museum
From: from Jose Huizar
Re: Southwest Museum
Date: August 17,2007
Dear Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition Member:
I'd like to once again extend to you my deepest thanks for joining me
recently to share your vision for the Southwest Museum. I greatly
appreciate your dedication to the Museum, and I share your commitment
to one of the cultural cornerstones of Northeast Los Angeles.
In our discussions, I heard your concerns loud and clear: the Museum
must not be shuttered. Its buildings and precious collection must be
protected and restored at the current Mt. Washington site. What's
more, the Autry must reopen a revitalized Southwest Museum, at its
current site, with expanded services, enhanced amenities, and a strong
management team.
The Museum should exhibit a portion of its collection onsite, as well
as provide educational and cultural experiences for people throughout
the City of Los Angeles. Most importantly, it must be rededicated to
the culture and heritage of the peoples of the Southwest in the vision
of its founder, Charles Lummis.
As I committed to you at our gathering, I will be meeting shortly with
leadership of the Autry Museum. At this meeting, I will share your
concerns regarding the future of the Southwest Museum, and make the
following specific requests of the Autry:
* Preserve and protect the Southwest Collection of priceless artifacts.
* Preserve, rehabilitate and maintain the original historic Southwest
Museum building and the Casa de Adobe.
* Commit to keeping the Southwest Collection on view, on a rotating
basis, at the Mt. Washington Campus.
* Dedicate more exhibition space to the collection.
* Offer the community much-needed meeting space at the Mt. Washington
location.
* Present a funded and phased plan for the rehabilitation and
re-opening of the Museum, including
a) Benchmarks and timeline for the Museum's rehabilitation and
b) Monthly updates communicated at www.swmfuture.orq |
* Establish and announce public weekday and weekend hours for the
museum, beginning with its reopening.
* Fund and plan public activities for weekend programming, beginning
with the museum's reopening.
* Maintain the name "Southwest Museum."
* Reestablish school visits and educational trips to the Southwest
Museum-in particular as part of the California State Curriculum
Standards for the 4th Grade.
* Commit to storing a portion of the Southwest Collection at the Mt.
Washington Campus.
* Make a clear commitment to maintain the American Association of
Museums accreditation.
* Make available a photographic inventory of the collection at the Mt.
Washington campus, preferably integrated into a learning station for
public review.
* Commit to promoting the Southwest Museum Mt. Washington campus in
materials distributed at the Autry National Center, ensuring proper
respect to the Museum as the original and current home to the
important Southwest Museum Collection.
* Agree to examine growth and expansion opportunities at the Museum to
accommodate educational, cultural and other public uses.
I look forward to reporting back to you the results of this
conversation, and to our continued partnership in making the Southwest
Museum flourish. With your help, I believe that we can make the Museum
a premiere public destination for visitors and Angelinos alike.
Sincerely,
JOSE HUIZAR
Councilmember, 14th District
200 North Spring Street, Room 465
Los Angeles, CA 90012
phone: (213) 473-7014
fax: (213) 847-0680
email: councilmember.huizar@lacity.org
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