The
Museum of
Texas Tech University
Jennifer Conlee, co-news editor
In
Lubbock, there is a place to go where learning can be fun, where astrology
can teach people about Native American heritage, and where hands-on
exploration can teach visitors about the history of the South Plains.
The
Museum of Texas Tech University provides an interesting look at science,
art, and history that can be beneficial for elementary students, college
students, and working adults alike. From the beautiful bronze statues that
grace the outdoor plaza to the light shows in the planetarium, Devitt
Theatre, and auditorium, there is much to see and do during a visit to the
museum.
As it
says in its mission statement, The Museum of Texas Tech University, as an
education resource for a diverse audience, collects, researches, and
disseminates information about the natural and cultural heritage of local
and related regions.
It was
1929 when the museum opened its doors for the first time. 
“The
citizens of Lubbock wanted a museum,” said David Dean, the museum’s
associate director. “So they raised some money and petitioned the government
to build one.”
At the
time, the museum, which was established as a non-profit organization, was
first located in the basement of Holden Hall, named for Dr. William Curry
Holden, its first director. It was Holden who contributed the first items
for the museum, and watched over the construction of the buildings.
Holden
Hall, located on the campus of Texas Tech University, was later converted
into a classroom building. In the 1960s, when parking on the campus became
too much of a problem, the museum was relocated to its new location on the
edge of the Tech campus, on Fourth Street.
“The
building is designed after a mesa landform in Crosbyton,” explained Dean.
“This location provides better access for our visitors.”
The
museum houses a natural science lab, the Devitt Wing, which is home to the
prehistoric and dinosaur exhibits, the Diamond M Fine Art Collection, The
Helen Devitt Jones Auditorium and Sculpture Court, and the Moody
Planetarium.
Also a
part of the museum is the Lubbock Lake Landmark, which contains the Nash
Interpretive Center, a research building, and the Berl Huffman Athletic
Complex. Until 1998, the Texas Ranching Heritage Center was also a part of
the museum.
A
museum cannot be a museum without exhibits, and the Texas Tech Museum has
its share of those.
The
main gallery is home to a full size Tyrannosaurus Rex and Triceratops, and
10 temporary galleries branch off from the main gallery.
“We
have 12 to 15 temporary exhibits each year,” said Dean. “This is when we
take the opportunity to bring things into Lubbock that people would
otherwise not see, like our previous Jazz in Paris and Vatican exhibits.”
Currently, one of the front exhibits holds the “Women Only” exhibits, which
showcases modern art done by women.
The
permanent exhibits are located West of the main gallery. Besides the Devitt
Wing, exhibits include African Art, the Taos Gallery, Pre-Columbian, Giants
(mammoths), the Lubbock Gallery, and the Davies Gallery.
The
Lubbock Gallery starts at 1950 and traces backward, “to make visitors feel
as if they are going backward in time,” said Dean. The exhibit traces the
progress of Lubbock through time, and also showcases famous people from
Lubbock.
The
Explorium is a hands-on science room, which, as Dean made clear, is not just
for children.
The
room contains skeletons, animal bodies, and other artifacts from this area.
It allows visitors to experience science, rather than just looking at it.
The
Davies Gallery contains the artwork of Southwest Indians, while the
Diekemper Gallery holds Pre-Columbian art and sculptures. Also in this wing
is the African Art Exhibit.
“The
museum showcases artwork from lands that are similar to West Texas,”
explained Dean. “Africa and West Texas are both semi-arid landscapes.”
The
Devitt Wing is one of the newest additions to the museum.
“Over
half of the dinosaurs displayed in this exhibit are from this area,” said
Dean, of the exhibit that houses dinosaurs from the Jurassic Period.
Also
in this area of the museum is the “Giants” room, which contains displays of
mammoths that once roamed the South Plains.
In the
back of the museum are galleries seven through 10, as well as the special
exhibits gallery, which currently holds “No Boundaries: Contemporary
Baskets.”
Also
in this area is the Helen Devitt Jones Wing, which consists of a sculpture
court, an auditorium, and a greenroom.
The
ever-changing print galleries, as well as the administration offices,
meeting rooms, and the offices of Texas Tech University Museum Association,
are located on the second floor.
“Here
at the museum, we don’t actually restore or conserve our pieces,” said
Dean. “We do preventative conservation, which is taking a piece and
preventing it from becoming any worse.
“We
want to stabilize the objects, so that your great-great grandchildren can
see them the same way as you do,” he explained.
As
with any other business, keeping a museum running requires a lot of hands.
“It
takes about 100 part-time employees, including graduate students who work as
assistants,” said Dean, “as well as 35 full time employees, to run the
museum.”
There
are four divisions: the administration, the curatorial, the service, and
volunteers.
The
administration division is the branch that oversees the operations of the
museum and includes the executive director and the business director. The
curators provide care for each exhibit on a daily basis.
The
service division includes educators and researchers.
“The museum also relies heavily on volunteers,” said Dean.
Volunteers are essential in any non-profit organization.
Because the museum is a non-profit institution, allowing visitors to come
for free, money has to come from outside sources.
“The
state provides the money for salaries,” said Dean, “ and our education and
research is funded through grants and donations. Tech provides maintenance
for the museum.”
The
gift shop, located in the lobby of the museum next to the front desk, helps
to raise money for the museum.
“The
store sells things which are related to the current exhibits,” explained
Dean. “It is run by the Texas Tech University Museum Association to
generate fundings for the museum programs.”
For
people who want an even deeper experience, the museum offers many public
activities and seasonal events around Halloween and spring break.
Among
these activities are International Museum Day in May, Dino Day and Space
Week, a NASA sponsored event, in the fall, and youth camps in the summer.
Adults
can attend curator lectures and art seminars, as well as “What’s Up,” a
monthly stargazing event that informs participants of the current star
patterns. Starbucks coffee and pastries are served at the event.
Star
lovers can also pay a visit to the Moody Planetarium for an exciting view of
the sky. There is a small fee charged for the shows. “Laser Beatles,” which
showcases the music of the Beatles, is the current light show, and “Spirits
from the Sky: Thunder on the Land” is a 30-minute show that bridges science,
history and anthropology to tell the story of a noble people–the Pawnee
Indians–and their enduring relationship with the sky.
The
Natural Science Research Lab typically is not opened to the public. It
contains resources for scholarly study, and holds collections for mammalogy,
herpetology, ornithology, invertebrates, and genetics research.
The
museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, with
extended hours until 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
It is closed on Mondays.
The
Lubbock Lake Landmark, which is located slightly northwest of the Museum, is
open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. on
Sunday. It is closed on Monday.
For
more information, or if you want to volunteer, call (800) 742-2990 or visit
the website at
museum.texastech@ttu.edu.
Schedule of Events
“What’s Up?” First Thursday of every month 7
p.m.
April:
8..................... “A Stitch in Time” 1-3
p.m.
20.................. Curator’s Lecture Series:
Dr. Robert J. Baker 7:30 p.m.
May:
13................... International Museum Day
1-3 p.m.
18................... Curator’s Lecture Series:
Gary Edson, 7:30 p.m.
27................... Printmaking Workshop 1-3
p.m.
June
22.................... “Star Party” 8 p.m.
July
3&4................Museum Closed for
Independence Day
September
23..................... Dino Day 1-3 p.m.
October
4-10.................. World Space Week
7......................... World Space Week
Family Saturday 1-3 p.m.
28...................... Halloween at the
Museum 1-3 museum
November
23.......................Museum closed for
Thanksgiving
December
24&25................ Museum closed for Christmas
