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Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History Records (UA-00096)

Abstract

The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History Records (1939-2003) detail the creation of the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History in Las Vegas, Nevada founded by Richard H. Brooks, a professor of anthropology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The records are comprised primarily of correspondence between Brooks and members of the Southwestern Anthropological Association (SWAA), the Society for California Archaeology (SCA), and the meetings and exhibitions of the Nevada State Museum. The collection also contains financial statements that describe expenses for supplies, research, and excursions. Also included are anthropological, archaeological, and historical publications, as well as administrative files and Richard Brooks' correspondence with the Nevada Archaeological Survey (NAS). The collection also includes architectural floor plans for the Classroom and Physical Education, the original space that was converted into the museum in 1980, and plans for the redesign of the Barrick Museum and the Harry Reid Environmental Research Center addition.

Finding Aid PDF

Date

1939 to 2003

Extent

4.35 Cubic Feet (6 boxes, 2 flat files, 6 rolls)
8.06 Linear Feet

Related People/Corporations

Scope and Contents Note

The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History Records (1939-2003) detail the creation of the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History in Las Vegas, Nevada founded by Richard H. Brooks, a professor of anthropology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The records are comprised primarily of correspondence between Brooks and members of the Southwestern Anthropological Association (SWAA), the Society for California Archaeology (SCA), and the meetings and exhibitions of the Nevada State Museum. The collection also contains financial statements that describe expenses for supplies, research, and excursions. Also included are anthropological, archaeological, and historical publications, as well as administrative files and Richard Brooks' correspondence with the Nevada Archaeological Survey (NAS). The collection also includes architectural floor plans for the Classroom and Physical Education, the original space that was converted into the museum in 1980, and plans for the redesign of the Barrick Museum and the Harry Reid Environmental Research Center addition.

Access Note

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions and Use on the UNLV Special Collections and Archives website for more information about reproductions and permissions to publish.

Arrangement

Materials remain in original order.

Biographical / Historical Note

The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History was founded by Richard H. Brooks in 1967 in Las Vegas, Nevada. At the time, Brooks was the director of the Desert Research Institute (DRI). DRI owned the museum until the ownership was transferred to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 1969. The museum's primary operations included exhibitions that displayed artifacts and artworks of the archaeology, history, and geology of Southern Nevada. The museum's mission was to "collect, preserve, study, and exhibit those objects that will serve to illustrate the story of man and nature in this region." In 2011, the museum changed its focus and became the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art.

Sources:

"About Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art." University of Las Vegas, Nevada. Accessed September 30, 2019. https://www.unlv.edu/barrickmuseum/about.

"History Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art." University of Las Vegas, Nevada. Accessed September 30, 2019. https://www.unlv.edu/barrickmuseum/history.

"Richard Brooks." Las Vegas Review-Journal, Legacy, July 31, 2011. Accessed September 30, 2019. https://obits.reviewjournal.com/obituaries/lvrj/obituary.aspx?n=richard-brooks&pid=152817944.

1967
Richard Brooks founded the Museum of Natural History under the Desert Research Institute.
1969
DRI transferred ownership of the museum to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
1989
The Museum of Natural History was renamed the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History in honor of Las Vegas philanthropist, Marjorie Barrick.
2011
The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History became the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art after a change in mission.

Preferred Citation

Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History Records, 1939-2003. UA-00096. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.

Acquisition Note

Materials were received periodically from the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art; accession numbers 2019-096, 2022-002, and 2023-037.

Processing Note

In 2019, as part of an archival backlog elimination project, Mary Anilao processed the materials and wrote the finding aid and entered the data into ArchivesSpace. In 2020, Mary Anilao processed an addition to the collection and updated the finding aid. In 2022, Tammi Kim processed the 2022 addition and updated the finding aid. In 2023, Sarah Jones processed the 2023 addition of architectural drawings.

Resource Type

Records

Collection Type

EAD ID

US::NVLN::UA00096

Finding Aid Description Rules

Describing Archives: A Content Standard
English