Search

ARCHIVES
CONTACT US
WORLD NEWS

Arizona State Museum offers public glimpse into collections

Weekly Rare Glimpses workshops will be offered throughout April

The Arizona State Museum is once again offering its popular Rare Glimpses workshop to permit the public unique access to both curators and collections.

These informal workshops, offered twice a year - in September and April - allow for one-on-one interaction with museum experts.

"We can only exhibit about 2 percent of our vast and varied collections and so our curators and staff are always happy to have the opportunity to bring pieces out of storage for the public to enjoy - hence the name rare glimpses," said Darlene Lizarraga, of the museum's marketing office.

This year's series features museum archaeologists as well as field trips to various sites in the Tucson area.

"In addition to our highly successful signature events such as the Southwest Indian Art Fair and Open House, we have launched a membership program and are in the process of formalizing and expanding our volunteer program," Lizarraga said.

"So far we have had overwhelming positive response from the participants," she added.

Last Wednesday's workshop discussed rock art of the Tucson area and will be accompanied by a day trip on May 15.

"More people are attending conferences on rock art and getting involved with the protection and preservation of this non-renewable natural resource," said Sharon Urban, a public archaeologist and host of the rock art workshop.

"I think that the evening was most successful from my perspective, while offering a great deal of information to those in the class and ending on a fun-filled experience of making glyphs," Urban added.

Remaining workshops include Mormon archaeology in the Little Colorado River Valley and the Sierra Ancha cliff dwellings.

These workshops are limited to 20 people in order for the museum to "offer quality time and interaction with our staff and collections," Lizarraga said.

The workshops take place from 7 to 9 p.m. in room 309 of the north building of the Arizona State Museum.

The workshops cost $30 for members and $40 for non-members. Day trips are $50 for members and $70 for non-members and weekend trips are $120 for members and $140 for non-members. For both the workshop and the trip the cost is $110 for members and $150 for non-members.

Proceeds from these events are used to protect the museum's collections and to support research programs featured in the workshops.

For more information, call the Arizona State Museum's Marketing office at 626-8381.