FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2009
New Mexico Center for Museum Resources and Museum of Natural History and Science Win Regional Awards
Santa Fe (Sept. 24, 2009) – The Mountain-Plains Museums Association, representing museum professionals in 10 states, has honored the Center for Museum Resources and the Museum of Natural History and Science in its 2009 Publications Design Competition and the Technology Competition.
El Palacio magazine, the 96-year-old quarterly magazine on Southwest art, culture and history, won best design in magazines, newsletters, quarterly or biannual publications for its issue dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Museum of New Mexico. Honorees were Shelley Thompson, producer; Cheryle Mitchell, managing editor; and David Rohr, art director. For more on El Palacio, go to http://elpalacio.org/.
The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science won the multi-media award for Sun Dagger Explorer, an interactive model of the ancient calendar site in Chaco Canyon. Honorees: Alan Price, design and programming; Anna Sofaer, research; Matt Celeskey, exhibit designer/illustrator; Robert Ungnade, exhibit liaison; Charles Compton, IT liaison; Western Mapping, laser scanning. The project was produced with the Solstice Project and Ohio State University. For a glimpse of the project, go to http://accad.osu.edu/~aprice/works/sundagger/index.html.
“Those of us fortunate enough to work in the state’s Department of Cultural Affairs are well aware of the extraordinary abilities and creativity of our fellow workers,” said department Secretary Stuart Ashman. “It’s wonderful to see these individuals and their talent recognized by the MPMA through these prestigious awards.”
MPMA, established in 1953, is a regional museum association providing services in Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming. It is one of six regional associations in the United States that work in conjunction with the American Association of Museums.
MPMA President Rick Young said the awards will be presented during the association’s annual meeting in Cheyenne, Wyo., Oct. 5-9.
Media contact: Kate Nelson
Marketing Manager
New Mexico History Museum/Palace of the Governors
(505) 476-1141
(505) 554-5722 (cell)
