Armenian Library and Museum of America facts for kids
| Established | 1971 to 1985 |
|---|---|
| Location | 65 Main Street, Watertown, Massachusetts |
| Type | Armenian |
| Visitors | 3,000 (annually) |
| Public transit access | MBTA |
The Armenian Museum of America (AMA) is in Watertown, Massachusetts, United States. It holds the biggest collection of Armenian treasures in North America.
Contents
History of the Museum
Back in 1971, some Greater Boston Armenian-Americans noticed that many important Armenian books and items were being lost. These items were brought to America by people who moved here from Armenia. So, they decided to create the AMA. Their goal was to collect and protect these special pieces of history.
The museum started small in 1972, with just two rented rooms in Belmont, Massachusetts. It grew over time. By 1985, it moved into a larger basement space in a Watertown church. That's when it first opened its doors to the public.
In 1988, the AMA bought and updated an old bank building. This building is at 65 Main Street in Watertown. It is named in honor of Stephen P. Mugar and his wife, Marian G. Mugar. When it opened in 1988, it was called the Armenian Library and Museum of America. In 2013, its name officially changed to the Armenian Museum of America.
About the Museum Building
The AMA's home is in Watertown Square. It is a four-story building with a basement. The museum uses the basement, the first and second floors, and most of the third floor. The library is on the fourth floor.
Other groups also have offices in the building. These include the Armenian International Women's Association ("AIWA") and Project SAVE Armenian Photographic Archives.
What You Can Find Inside
The main exhibit area at the AMA is called Bedoukian Hall. There are also several smaller galleries. You can find the Contemporary Art Gallery and the Terjenian-Thomas Art Gallery on the third floor.
The museum also has a research library. There are studio spaces, offices, and meeting rooms. You can also find classrooms and a large auditorium that seats 220 people. Don't forget to check out the gift shop!
Museum Collections
The Armenian Museum of America has one of the largest and most varied collections of Armenian cultural items outside of Armenia. The museum often changes its exhibits. This means there's always something new to see when you visit. It also helps show off the many different items in its collection. The museum usually has about 14 different exhibits each year.
The museum's collections are a great resource for learning about Armenian history and culture. The AMA is the only independent Armenian museum outside of Armenia. It gets most of its funding from people who support it. Many volunteers and a dedicated board of trustees help the museum staff.
The museum has over 20,000 items, including:
- Many different artifacts, like very old items, religious objects, and pottery.
- More than 5,000 ancient and medieval Armenian coins.
- Over 3,000 textiles, which are woven fabrics. The AMA has one of the largest Armenian textile collections outside of Armenia. A special curator, Susan Lind-Sinanian, helps care for these textiles. They are kept in a special climate-controlled area. Here, they are also photographed and recorded.
- 930 rare books.
- 170 Armenian rugs, many with Armenian writing on them. This includes the Arthur T. Gregorian collection of rugs, which was given to the museum in 1992.
The museum also keeps and sometimes shows paintings by Dr. Jack Kevorkian. His parents were Armenian refugees.
The Library
The AMA is home to the Mesrob Boyajian Library. This library has over 26,000 books on many Armenian topics. The oldest book is the Garabed Gospel from the year 1207 AD.
The library also has one of the largest collections of important books about oriental rugs. It has a very big collection of books about a difficult time in Armenian history. The library also holds many newspapers and magazines.
The Herbert Offen Oriental Carpet Research Library Collection is also here. It is one of the biggest collections of books about oriental carpets in the United States. The Offen Family gave 2,500 books from the Herbert Offen Collection. They also provide money to buy more books about rugs and carpets. These books cover many topics, not just types of rugs. They also cover how rug collecting affects society, the meaning of symbols, and how to care for rugs. They also include information on selling rugs, how rugs are made, and their use throughout history.
Oral History Collection
In the early 1970s, the AMA started a big project. They interviewed many people who lived through a major historical event for Armenians. Most of these people are now gone. These interviews are now digital and have been cleaned up to sound better.
The AMA's collection has over 1,400 hours of recorded stories. This is a very important resource for researchers and scholars.
See Also
