Women of the West Museum Institutional Archives, 1986-2001, bulk 1991-2001

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Summary

Title:
Women of the West Institutional Archives
Dates:
1986-2001, bulk 1991-2001
Creators:
Women of the West Museum
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.
Extent:
72.55 Linear Feet (41 boxes, 2 oversized models)
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

Women of the West Museum Institutional Archives, 1986-2001, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; MSA.39; [folder number] [folder title][date].

Background

Scope and content:

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.

Biographical / historical:

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

Acquisition information:
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.
Processing information:

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).

Arrangement:

  • 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

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Holly Rose Larson
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-10-06 18:36:37 +0000 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

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.

Terms of access:

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.

Preferred citation:

Women of the West Museum Institutional Archives, 1986-2001, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; MSA.39; [folder number] [folder title][date].

Location of this collection:
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, CA 90027, US
Contact:
(747) 201-8448
rroom@theautry.org
Website