In January and February 2017, we will be curating a film series at The Autry Museum of the American West. "The Autry"—brings together the
stories of all peoples of the American West, connecting the past with
the present to inspire our shared future. Co-founded in 1988 by Jackie
and Gene Autry and Joanne and Monte Hale, the Autry has grown
to encompass a broad and inclusive representation of art, artifacts,
cultural materials, and library holdings. In 2002, the Autry merged with
Women of the West, a nonprofit organization highlighting the impact of
diverse women’s experiences on the history of the American West. In
2003, after many years of being on the verge of financial insolvency and
with the collection and buildings in need of significant care and
investment, the Southwest Museum of the American Indian sought a merger
with the Autry Museum of Western Heritage, and a new organization was
formed (now known as the Autry Museum of the American West). The Autry's
diverse collections include more than 600,000 artifacts, artworks, and
archival materials that reflect the interconnectedness of cultures and
histories in the American West.
The Autry currently spans three
campuses in Los Angeles: the Autry Museum in Griffith Park, the Historic
Southwest Museum Mt. Washington Campus, and the Resources Center of the
Autry (under construction):
The
Autry Museum in Griffith Park, originally the Gene Autry Museum of
Western Heritage, was co-founded by Jackie and Gene Autry and Joanne and
Monte Hale. With the opening of the Museum in 1988, Gene Autry realized
his dream "to build a museum which would exhibit and interpret the
heritage of the West and show how it influenced America and the world."
Attracting between 150,000 and 200,000 annual visitors, the Autry in
Griffith Park presents a wide range of special exhibitions and public
programs that explore the art, history, and cultures of the American
West.
The
Historic Southwest Museum Mount Washington Campus is the original
location of the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, the oldest
museum in Los Angeles, and was founded by Charles Fletcher Lummis. In
2015 the National Trust for Historic Preservation named the historic
site a
National Treasure, launching a collaborative process to identify a long-term sustainable future for this Los Angeles landmark.
We'll pass along more information as it is available, but we know for sure we will be curating the film series at the Autry Museum in Griffith Park.
