Roswell Museum facts for kids
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| Former name | Roswell Museum and Art Center |
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| Established | 1936 |
| Location | 1011 N. Richardson Avenue, Roswell, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Type | Municipal museum |
| Key holdings | Robert H. Goddard |
| Collections | Visual art collection, education center, planetarium |
| Owner | City of Roswell |
The Roswell Museum is a cool place to explore art and history in Roswell, New Mexico. It opened way back in 1936. This museum shows off the art and history of the American Southwest. It also has a special area about the famous rocket scientist, Robert H. Goddard.
The museum has a learning center called the Patricia Lubben Bassett Art Education Center. It opened in 1998. This center has classrooms, a ceramics studio, and a library. It helps people of all ages learn about art.
You can also visit the Robert H. Goddard Planetarium at the museum. It was built in 1968. This planetarium can show you the night sky from anywhere on Earth. It uses a modern digital system called Digistar 6.
Contents
History of the Museum
The Roswell Museum started in 1936. It received money from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in New Mexico. The main goal was to keep historical items from southeastern New Mexico safe. It also served as a community gathering place.
The museum officially opened on December 10, 1937. It was one of many cultural centers created by the WPA. This happened during the Great Depression, a tough economic time. Early exhibits showed old tools and art from the region. They also featured paintings by artists like Peter Hurd and Henriette Wyeth.
After the WPA changed in 1941, the City of Roswell took over the museum. Many directors have led the museum over the years. By 1986, more than 45,000 people visited the museum each year. The museum has been recognized by the American Alliance of Museums since 1978.
What You Can See: Collections and Galleries
The Roswell Museum has two main types of collections. One is about history, and the other is about visual art. The historical collection includes items from the American West. It also features Native American art and Spanish colonial items. A special part of this collection is about liquid-propellant rockets.
The visual art collection shows regional art and modernist works. You can see art from the 20th century and Southwestern Art. There's a special collection of works by Peter Hurd and Henriette Wyeth. The museum also has contemporary art and international prints. Some famous artists like Georgia O'Keeffe and Marsden Hartley have works here.
Goddard Galleries: Rockets and Space
Dr. Robert H. Goddard's wife, Esther Goddard, gave the museum many important items. These were from Dr. Goddard's research on liquid-fuel rockets. In 1959, the museum added a new section just for Goddard. It even has a copy of his laboratory. A rocket tower built by Goddard stands in the museum's outdoor area. This exhibit also has a real Moon rock. It was given by Harrison Schmitt from the 1972 Apollo 17 Mission.
Rogers Aston Gallery: Western and Native American Art
In 1980, the museum received a large gift from Rogers and Mary Ellen Aston. They donated a collection of western art and historical items. This led to the opening of the Rogers Aston Gallery. This gallery focuses on American Indian and Western art.
See Also
- Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art
- Roswell Artist-in-Residence Compound
