Finding Aid to the Women of the West Museum Institutional Archives MSA.39
Holly Rose Larson
Library and Archives at the Autry
2012 June 1
210 South Victory Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91502
rroom@theautry.org
Contributing Institution:
Library and Archives at the Autry
Title: Women of the West Institutional Archives
Creator:
Women of the West Museum
Identifier/Call Number: MSA.39
Physical Description:
72.55 Linear Feet
(41 boxes, 2 oversized models)
Date (inclusive): 1986-2001
Date (bulk): 1991-2001
Abstract: The Women of the West Museum, founded in Boulder, Colorado in 1991, was the first museum in the United States dedicated to
the history of women of all cultures in the American West. In 2002, the museum merged with the Autry National Center (now
known as Autry Museum of the American West), creating a physical location for the Women of the West institution. These archives
document the Women of the West Museum's institutional history from 1986-2001, which includes files related to administration,
collection development, development and fundraising, exhibits, and finances.
Language of Material:
English
.
Appointments to view materials are required. To make an appointment please visit
https://theautry.org/research-collections/library-and-archives and fill out the Researcher Application Form.
Copyright has not been assigned to the Autry Museum of the American West. All requests for permission to publish or quote
from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Research Services and Archives. Permission for publication is
given on behalf of the Autry Museum of the American West as the custodian of the physical items and is not intended to include
or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Women of the West Museum Institutional Archives, 1986-2001, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; MSA.39; [folder number] [folder title][date].
- Series 1: Administrative Files, 1986-1999
- Series 2: Collections Development Files, 1988-2001
- Series 3: Development Files, 1991-2001
- Series 4: Exhibits Files, 1995-2001
- Series 5: Financial Records, 1991-1996
Processing and finding aid completed by Holly Rose Larson, NHPRC Project Archivist, 2012 June 1, made possible through grant
funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
The institutional archives of the Women of the West Museum span from 1986-2001, and includes materials that document the
operations and growth of the Museum. The collection is divided into the following five series:
Series 1: Administrative Records include central communication files, public relations material, and Board of Trustee files.
This includes Board of Trustee reports and communications, correspondence, public relations papers, newsletters, and annual
letters of solicitation.
Material in Series 2: Collection Development Files, relate to the development of the Museum's object collection and includes
items such as oral histories, films, and dissertations.
Series 3: Development Files includes material related to Museum donors and fundraising efforts as well as the development
and envisioning of the physical building. Material related to developing the building include museum design research notes,
architectural proposals, and museum models.
Series 4: Exhibit Files include research material for proposed exhibits.
Series 5: Financial Records include banking and investments records, files related to monetary contributions and pledges,
expense reports, and tax documents.
The collection is predominately made up of paper material. Other formats within the collection also include cassette tapes,
video cassette (VHS) tapes, floppy discs, three-dimensional museum models, and photographs.
Founded in 1991 in Boulder, Colorado, the Women of the West Museum was the first museum in the nation dedicated to the history
of women of all cultures in the American West. Committed to education outside traditional museum walls, the Women of the West
Museum broke new ground with its innovative use of online exhibitions, community partnerships, women's history trails, and
art-based humanities programs.
In 2002, the Women of the West Museum merged with the then named Autry National Center, creating a gathering place for programs,
exhibitions, collections, research, and education dedicated to diverse women's experiences in the American West. The goal
is to gain a new understanding, not simply of what women have done but of why it matters for the West—past, present, and future.
The merger with the Autry reflected a continuation of its original spirit, while providing a physical home in Los Angeles
to continue its vision through new exhibitions and programs integrated into an overall vision of the West.
Taken from the Autry National website 2012 May, https://web.archive.org/web/20120510201519/http://theautry.org/research/women-of-the-west
Women of the West Museum merged with the then named Autry Museum of Western Heritage on 2002 March 6. The Autry Museum changed
its name in 2002 to the Autry National Center of the American West and then to its current name, Autry Museum of the American
West in 2015.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Photographs
Videocassettes
Women -- West (U.S.) -- Biography
Fund raising
Museums -- West (U.S.)
Dissertations, Academic
Financial records
Audio cassettes
Documentary films
Newsletters
Oral histories
Proposals
Correspondence
Museums and women
Women -- West (U.S.) -- History
Archives -- Administration
Autry National Center
Administrative Files 1986-1999
Physical Description: 14 Linear Feet(10 boxes)
The Administrative Files of the Women of the West Museum Institutional Archives span 1986-1999 and include annual letters
of solicitation, Board of Trustees reports and communications, correspondence, newsletters, and public relations papers.
Development Files 1991-2001
Physical Description: 48.65 Linear Feet(21 boxes, 2 large models)
The Development Files of the Women of the West Museum Institutional Archives include donor records, fundraising documents,
and museum design research. Development records associated with the proposed museum design include proposals from architects
and architectural firms, and museum models constructed of wood or foam board. This series also includes presentation boards
for exterior and interior construction materials.