FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 13, 2020
The New Mexico History Museum (NMHM) and the Museum of New Mexico Foundation (MNMF) have been awarded a grant from the New Mexico Historical Records Advisory Board to support preservation work and expand public access at the Fray Angélico Chávez History Library and the Palace of the Governors Photo Archives, valuable aspects of the History Museum.
The $7,560 award will fund the long-term preservation and organization of an extensive collection of glass lantern slides and black and white negatives. These specific items range from the late-19th to the mid-20th century. A large collection of prints, negatives, and slides from New Mexico Magazine, spanning the years 1930 to 2004, will also be preserved. The Fray Angelico Chavez History Library will place more than 200 audio recordings, such as reel-to-reel and cassette tapes, in properly sized and protective boxes from the Candelario collection, which include field recordings from local photographer John S. Candelario.
Rehousing these fragile items preserves these interesting and unique collections from New Mexico’s history. Additionally, the grant will support greater access to all the collections in the Chavez History Library and Photo Archives. The Library and Photo Archives staff will soon transition to a new way to view finding aids, the detailed guides to each archival collection. The program ArchiveSpace will offer a clear and easy-to-use way in which to learn about the items in the museum’s collections.
The NMHM is committed to the best care of its collections and is enthusiastic about the opportunities this grant can provide. Researchers on all topics in New Mexico history will benefit from greater access to these newly organized and preserved collections.
About the New Mexico History Museum
The New Mexico History Museum is a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, under the leadership of the Board of Regents for the Museum of New Mexico. Programs and exhibits are generously supported by the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and its generous donors.
Our campus includes the Palace of the Governors – which was designated as the state’s first history museum in 1909 – the Fray Angélico Chávez History Library Building and Pete V. Domenici Building. It is our mission to tell New Mexico’s oldest stories, collect some of its oldest objects, and to preserve other cultural resources that represent the state’s centuries-long narrative.
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