By
Aaron Cowman
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Open house allows behind-the-scenes look into Arizona State Museum
No secret will be left unturned at the Arizona State Museum's open house tomorrow.
The museum will open its storeroom doors and allow participants to view exhibits which the general public rarely has access to starting tomorrow at 10 a.m.
"It lets the public see behind the scenes," said Bruce Hilpert, curator of public programs for the museum. "This is a chance to see stuff you don't normally get to see."
Since the museum does not have the capacity to open entire exhibits for the general public on a daily basis, the open house allows the public a rare opportunity of an all-access view of what the museum has to offer.
Some of the new artifacts on display include one of the largest Navajo rugs, a collection of beaded Plains Indian apparel as well as the prehistoric pottery collection comprised of more than 20,000 pieces. The collection has earned support from historical venues across the nation.
"It has been designated an American treasure along with the Star Spangled Banner and Louis Armstrong's trumpet," Hilpert said.
The open house will also allow the museum to highlight its student tour group, comprised of nearly 25 University of Arizona students.
"One of the unique programs we have here at the Arizona State Museum is that we have UA students giving guided tours for school children," Hilpert said.
The students participate in the tour guide program as part of the lab section of Hilpert's Anthropology 302 course on the educational application of museum anthropology.
"We have people from all over campus," said Terese Rand Bridges, docent coordinator and director of the tour guide program. "Many choose to take it as an elective."
The tours are available to the general public year-round, but are focused toward a younger audience.
"The tours are geared more toward kids, but anyone is welcome," Bridges said. "Especially if they are a kid at heart."
Many of the programs at the open house will cater to this juvenile group.
"We have a lot of children's activities including making Mexican masks and Mexican flowers," Hilpert said.
Anthropology junior Erin O'Meara, a docent at the museum, has had the opportunity to witness the student-run tour guide process in action.
"I think it's a pretty neat opportunity," O'Meara said. "They get the chance to teach a child a new concept that they wouldn't necessarily get to know if they went through with just their parents."
The students who participate in the group come from many different backgrounds, and many find the anthropology aspect appealing after the program is over.
"We've had a number of students who want to go into working in museums," Hilpert said.
The other major event highlighted during the open house will be the viewing of the Hohokam excavation in Marana, currently run by students in the UA Field School, a six-credit course available through the anthropology department.
"People can sign up for tours at the open house for the following week at the dig site in Marana," Hilpert said.
Normally only open to tours for UA students, the site will be available for public viewing March 30 and 31.
"We have had tours from university classes," said Suzy Fish, a curator at the museum. "But this is the first time it is open to the public."
general public tours will be accompanied by open access to the lab where analyses of the artifacts take place said Fish, one of the leaders of the excavation group.
Past years have boasted large turnouts to the museum's behind-the-scenes presentation.
"We usually get about 1,000 to 2,000 people coming to the open house," Hilpert said.
Fish said people who do not know much about the museum can learn exciting details tomorrow.
"The whole open house is inviting people to come in and see what the museum is all about," Fish said.
The Arizona State Museum open house begins tomorrow at 10 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. Admission is free for the general public. Those interested can sign up for excavation site tours scheduled for March 30 and March 31. Call 626-8381 for more information.
