The Museum of Northern Arizona today announced that a northern Arizona couple, who wish to remain anonymous, pledged three million dollars to build a new Collections Center at the Museum. This major donation comes at a time when the need for a new facility to house and care for MNA’s collections, as well as federal and tribal collections, is a top priority.
The donors wrote, “In making this gift for the construction of a new Collections Center, we are expressing our strong support for the Museum of Northern Arizona. We have confidence in its future and in its director. We recognize the significance of the Museum’s collections and the importance of preserving them for generations to come. With this gift we want to make a difference, and we hope to encourage renewed interest and participation in protecting the Museum’s treasured collections.”
MNA currently houses significant collections from the region, including the Museum’s 600,000 artifacts and additional extensive bulk collections, many from federal and tribal holdings. Museum director Robert Breunig stated, “This gift addresses one of the most pressing needs of the Museum of Northern Arizona—the need for improved collections storage. With a new Collections Center the museum will be able to provide the best possible conditions for the care of its collections for generations to come.
“This gift represents a significant show of support for the future of the Museum and supports the commitment of the Museum to focus on its core mission,” said Breunig.
“I want to express my deepest thanks to our donors for their incredible gift and for putting their confidence in the Museum into action.” He emphasized that while this gift supports a major capital need of the Museum, it still must build its operating endowment to provide long-term stability.
MNA’s mission is to inspire a sense of love and responsibility for the beauty and diversity of the Colorado Plateau—through collecting, studying, interpreting, and preserving the region’s natural and cultural heritage.
The Museum is working with architect James Roberts of Roberts/Jones Associates of Phoenix to develop a Campus Master Plan and Collections Center building plans. The vision for the facility is that it will meet current museum standards for collections facilities; it will be architecturally pleasing and consistent with existing MNA architecture; economically feasible and environmentally sustainable; accessible to the public; large enough to provide space for scholars, classrooms, and storage; and have add-on capability for the future.
James Roberts said, “This generous gift has become the catalyst for synthesizing an environmental vision for MNA’s mission in this millennium. This vital, new
Collections Center will be a state-of-the-art museum facility that embodies the values and
technologies of genuinely sustainable, “green” architecture. Our goal will be to create lasting beauty and reflect the historic character of the MNA campus; and to provide a building that is protective and accessible, and celebrates the artistic and scientific wealth of the museum’s collections. I am delighted to be taking part in the creation of such a significant regional asset.”
The Museum of Northern Arizona has an illustrious 76-year history as one of the great regional museums and is a place that evokes the very spirit of the Colorado Plateau—one of the most diverse geological, biological, and cultural landscapes on earth.
The Museum of Northern Arizona sits at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, the highest mountains in Arizona. It is located three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff on Highway 180. It is open daily and admission is $5/adult, $4/senior, $3/student, and $2/child. For more information, call 928/774-5213 or log on to www.musnaz.org.