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Arizona State Museum
The Arizona State Museum (ASM)
started out in 1893, and was a repository for the many collected and
protected archaeological remains that were discovered. Currently,
the ASM houses numerous artifacts, displaying them, as well as
educating and researching opportunities, and started by the
Territorial Legislature. It is managed by the University of Arizona
and located in Tucson, Arizona. For thousands of years, Native
People have lived in the North American continent and the museum
uncovers their habitats, art, communication and lifeways that these
early people in the southwest took part in. The staff looks at sites
of the past occupants of this continent to see how these people
lived, what they wore, what they ate and how they created their
artworks. These people lived day-to-day, constructing villages and
homes that have crumbled away or destroyed by the forces of nature.
Emil Haury, one of the early and important directors of the museum,
led many excavations in the southwest, teaching students and other
folks his discoveries and methodology. The ASM houses many of these
artifacts that were created by the peoples of the past as well as
those of the present, that contain clothing, baskets, jewelry,
textiles and pottery. The archaeological relics have been discovered
by the staff and students in their excavations, while the
ethnological pieces have been given to the museum by the Native
American tribes, as well as individuals and some that were bought by
the museum. ASM exhibits many of the relics that is has, like a
display of pottery just recently created and those magnificent
pieces of pottery from the past, as well as masks created by
Mexicans, or textiles woven by the Native American artisans and so
much more. The museum has a calendar full of public programs and
events, like the Southwest Indian Art Fair, that is hosted every
year, and other events like the family-oriented lectures, and
activities about subjects that pertain to the museum's activities
and categories. Students of art, design, anthropology,
archaeology and other areas that relate to the investigative works
of the museum help ASM personnel to get more acquainted with the
objects, techniques and materials from this collection; some
actually taking part in the excavations that are done by the museum.
The Office of Ethnohistoric Research keeps documents and microfilm
to find the written records that allow them to research the
activities of these early peoples that came to the region before the
20th century. In the 16th century, Spanish explorers came here,
making their influence spread north and south into all the
civilizations that were here. AZSite keeps and updates their
database of cultural sites and surveys so that those interested in
research or resources can use them for whatever purposes that they
may have. That way, people looking for certain information can find
what they want or need without having to come here themselves, since
there are hundreds of these sites in the region. The ASM library is
a reference library that holds 70,000 volumes, and those interested
in these works can read or study them, with many periodicals
available to complement their research. The museum continues
to have a working relationship with tribes around the southwest, so
that visits to the tribal communities can allow them to evaluate
various objects they have discovered and to assist the museum's
staff when they are in the process of excavating. Revitalizing the
downtown area of Tucson has helped to recreate many of the
structures that were there, but later disappeared for one reason or
another, since they were such an important part of their lives.
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