| | Museum of Texas Tech University | Hits 4 | | | | |
| | | | Site Information | | | Explores human culture from prehistoric times to the present with particular emphasis on southwestern history. Regularly hosts traveling art exhibits. Also, the planetarium offers programs every day of the week.
| The Museum is an educational, scientific, cultural, and research element of Texas Tech University. It consists of several components: the main Museum building, the Moody Planetarium, the Natural Science Research Laboratory, the research and educational elements of the Lubbock Lake Landmark, and the Val Verde County research site.
The Museum of Texas Tech University was first accredited by the American Association of Museums in 1990. It received continuing accreditation in 1998. Accreditation by the AAM demonstrates "a professional level of operation in accordance with the standards of excellence prescribed by the American Association of Museums..." The 1998 accreditation certification will be current until 2008.
Mission
The mission of the Museum is to collect, preserve, interpret, and disseminate knowledge about natural and cultural material from Texas, the Southwest, and other regions related by natural history, heritage, and climate. The Museum's collections, exhibitions, programming, and research complement the diverse interests of Texas Tech and its role in public and professional education in local, state, national, and international communities. Through classroom instruction, practicum, and field work, the Museum provides both theoretical and practical education. It is dedicated to acting as as a responsible partner to Texas Tech and the community of museums.
Museums collections in the arts, humanities, and sciences are held in perpetual trust for public education, exhibition, reference, enjoyment, and for research. Collection objects number in excess of 1.5 million. The Museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums.
History of the Museum of TTU
The Museum was founded as the West Texas Museum in 1929, shortly after Texas Technological College was chartered in 1925. Dr. William Curry Holden served as its first director until 1969 when he retired. He oversaw the construction of the first building, which began as a basement only, through the completion of that facility, to the construction and occupation of the current buildings in 1970. Dr. Holden also identified the first Folsom projectile points from the Lubbock Lake area which became the Lubbock Lake Landmark, an internationally recognized center for studies of early man in the New World. In the 1990s the site was jointly operated by TTU and the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department as Lubbock Lake Landmark State Historical Park. During that time, several new buildings were constructed including the Robert A. "Bob" Nash Interpretive Center and the Quaternary Research Center. In 1999, the state historical park was fully transferred to Texas Tech University under the supervision and care of the Museum of TTU, and returned to the name Lubbock Lake Landmark.
When the Museum moved into its present quarters at 4th Street and Indiana Avenue, the former, central-campus building was converted into classroom and office spaces and renamed Holden Hall. The newly relocated and reorganized museum was renamed the Museum of Texas Tech University and, shortly thereafter, the Natural Science Research Laboratory (NSRL) was added.
Significant additions to the MoTTU have occurred over the past 31 years including the establishment of the Ranching Heritage Center (dedicated in 1976 and reorganized as a separate University department in 1998), the construction of permanent interpretation and research facilities at the Lubbock Lake Landmark (1990), the building of the Diamond M Wing to house the spectacular Diamond M Fine Art Collection (1995), the addition of the spacious Helen Jones Auditorium and Sculpture Court Wing (2001), and the 18,000+sq.ft. NSRL Addition in 2004.
In addition to physical plant growth, the collections have continued to increase steadily. In 2000, the collections number in the neighborhood of three million objects and specimens. The Museum of TTU is a vital, growing institution that will continue to provide education and entertainment to the university and surrounding communities, and all who visit far into the future.
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| | | Contact Information | | | Museum of Texas Tech University Landmark Lane Box 43191 Lubbock, Texas 79409-3191, Tel: (806)742-1116 http://www.depts.ttu.edu/museumttu/ E-mail Museum of Texas Tech University | | | | If you're the owner or webmaster of this site then please Claim this Link Once you claim this link and we approve it you will be the only one who can modify the listing in the future. |
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| | Date Added: Tue Sep 13 2005 | | Last Updated: Tue Sep 13 2005 | | | | |
