Scottsdale’s Museum of the West becomes Smithsonian Affiliate

After being open less than a year since January 2015, Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West was certified a Smithsonian Affiliate museum Nov. 20, making it a recognized partner with the world’s largest museum and research complex. It is one of the youngest museums to receive such certifications and the seventh in Arizona.

                             Jim Bruner, David Smith and Richard Kurin

Richard Kurin, Under Secretary for History, Art and Culture for the Smithsonian Institution visited the museum to present the Certification of Affiliation at the private morning event. Attending dignitaries included Scottsdale Vice Mayor David Smith; Barbara Barrett, former U.S. Ambassador to Finland; Gay Wray, Smithsonian National Board Member; and Jim Bruner, chairman of the board of Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West.

THE AFFILIATE PROGRAM
Becoming an affiliate opens the doors to a variety of benefits to the museum, including loans of iconic artifacts and cultural treasures as well as education programming, expert speakers and career development for museum professionals. Kurin noted that, with approximately 137 million objects, works of art and specimens in the Smithsonian, affiliates such as Scottsdale’s Museum of the West are indispensable resources that help bring more of its educational and historical resources to people in communities throughout the country.

The affiliate relationship also will provide the museum with opportunities to collaborate on innovative educational programming to help students understand the legacy of the West and their own role in shaping it.

“As the storytellers of the American West, we are honored to enter this collaborative partnership, which will help broaden our visitors’ knowledge and understanding of the history and cultures of the 19 states of the American West,” commented Mike Fox, director and CEO of Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West.

The museum features rotating exhibitions of hundreds of Western artworks and historic artifacts. Current exhibitions include a 50th anniversary retrospective entitled “A Salute to Cowboy Artists of America and a Patron, the Late Eddie Basha: 50 Years of Amazing Contributions to the American West,” on view through May 31, 2016, and “Inspirational Journey: The Story of Lewis and Clark Featuring the Artwork of Charles Fritz,” on view through October 31, 2016.

Other exhibits include authentic Old West spurs, badges, cowboy gear and saddles; rare Navajo chiefs’ blankets; and artworks ranging from Thomas Moran and Alfred Jacob Miller to the Taos Society of Artists.

The nonprofit museum relies on private support including tax-deductible contributions, memberships, exhibition and program sponsorships, and private hosting of events to fund its operation.

Front: Howard Alper, museum trustee; Gay Wray, Smithsonian national board member; Richard Kurin, Smithsonian under secretary for history, art and culture; and Paul Messinger, museum trustee Back: Mike Fox, museum director/CEO; Gil Waldman, Abe Hays and Orme Lewis, Jr., museum trustees ; Jim Bruner, museum chairman of the board; Fred Unger, museum trustee; Barbara Barrett, former u.S. Ambassador to Finland; and W. Scott Robertson and John Trump, museum trustees Sculpture: Harry Jackson, “The Marshal,” painted bronze. On loan from the Tim Peterson Family Collection

Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West

3830 N. Marshall Way
Scottsdale
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