Autry National Center

Autry National Center
Established	2003
Location	4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, California
Type	Western and American Indian
Director	Daniel M. Finley
Website	www.autrynationalcenter.org

The Autry National Center of the American West is an intercultural center and museum in Los Angeles, California that celebrates the diversity and history of the American West through three important institutions: the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, the Museum of the American West, and the Institute for the Study of the American West. The Autry's mission is to explore the experiences and perceptions of the diverse peoples of the American West, connecting the past with the present to inform our shared future. All of the exhibitions, public programs, K-12 educational services and publications are designed to further this mission. Located at the Museum of the American West, the Wells Fargo Theater is also part of the center.

• The Southwest Museum's 238,000-piece collection of Native American art is one of the most significant and representative of its kind in the United States, second only to the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of the American Indian. Comprising 14,000 baskets, 10,000 ceramic items, 6,300 textiles and weavings, and more than 1,100 pieces of jewelry, the collection represents indigenous peoples from Alaska to South America, with an emphasis on cultures from California and the Southwestern United States. The Southwest Museum was founded in 1907 and is the oldest museum in Los Angeles.

• The Museum of the American West was established in 1988 by Gene Autry (as "Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum") to explore and share the comprehensive story of the American West and the multiple cultures, perspectives, traditions, and experiences–real and imagined–that make the West significant. Its collection is composed of 21,000 paintings, sculptures, costumes, textiles, firearms, tools, toys, musical instruments, and other objects.

• The Institute for the Study of the American West is a research and publishing enterprise that produces and supports scholarly work in Western history and the arts. In 2002, the Women of the West Museum of Colorado merged with the Institute, infusing the Autry’s focus with a scholarly and educational emphasis on gender issues and women’s experiences in the American West.

The Autry National Center is spread over two locations, about 8 miles (13 km) apart:

• Museum of the American West

4700 Western Heritage Way

Los Angeles

• Southwest Museum (galleries closed for renovation; ethnobotanical garden and gift shop open on weekends)

234 Museum Drive

Los Angeles

Museum of the American West

This museum is the original museum dedicated by Gene Autry to those who lived and shaped the American West. The museum presents thought-provoking contemporary and historical exhibitions, year-round programs for children, intellectual forums, and the acclaimed Native Voices at the Autry performing arts series. The museum is located at the Autry National Center in Griffith Park.

Institute for the Study of the American West

The Institute for the Study of the American West is the research arm of the Autry National Center. It includes the Autry Library and Braun Research Library.

External links

• Autry National Center Website
• Reviving the Southwest Museum
• Autry National Center on Burbank.com

Coordinates: 34°08′55″N 118°16′55″W / 34.148572°N 118.28181°W / 34.148572; -118.28181

References

• "Your guide to Gene Autry, America's Favorite Singing Cowboy" pamphlet from the Autry National Center
• "Pocket guide: Explore the past, present, & future of the American West" pamphlet from the Autry National Center