Southwest Museum Tour

Explore the Southwest Museum & Casa de Adobe

Since 1914 the historic Southwest Museum has been prominently perched on a hillside in Mount Washington. Founded by author, editor, collector, and early preservationist, Charles Fletcher Lummis, he intended it to be a “cultural acropolis” that promoted the people, history and cultures of Los Angeles and the American Southwest.

The Southwest Museum merged with the Autry Museum in 2003 to protect its vast collections, now housed in the new Resources Center of the Autry after a decade-long conservation project.  The next step for the Autry presented both a huge challenge and huge possibilities — shaping an exciting and sustainable future for the historic Southwest Museum buildings. With 12 acres of grounds, a seven-story tower, and panoramic views overlooking downtown and the San Gabriel Mountains, this is a once-in-lifetime opportunity.

To tackle the task of re-imagining this LA landmark, the Autry brought in the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Together they have issued a call for creative ideas to reactivate this architectural gem in the form of a Request For Interest. The goal is to rehabilitate and respect the buildings, of course, but also reinvigorate their use in ways that successfully maintain the Museum’s presence in the surrounding community. The nearby 1917 Casa de Adobe, a replica of an adobe ranch house, was gifted to the Southwest Museum. The Autry and the Trust are including the Casa in the RFI, and interested parties can offer proposals for both structures, or either one independently.

Please join fellow AIA Los Angeles members on an exclusive tour of the Southwest Museum and learn more about the future of these important historic resources.

*Please note this tour involves quite a bit of walking & several stairs*

Agenda:

• 8:00AM – registration & coffee near the front entrance
• 8:20AM – presentation
• 8:35AM – walking tour (please wear comfortable shoes; no heels)

Tour Led By:

• Maren Dougherty, Executive Vice President, Communications and Visitor Experience, Autry Museum of the American West
• Chris Morris, Senior Field Director, Los Angeles Office, National Trust for Historic Preservation

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Autry Museum of the American West and the National Trust for Historic Preservation