The Tempe History Museum has been awarded the highest honor of National Accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, an organization that recognizes institutions that meet or exceed national museum standards. The museum joins the ranks of some of the most recognizable institutions in the Phoenix-metro area and nationwide.

The accreditation process took several years and involved an in-depth self-assessment by city staff, peer reviews and an analysis of the museum’s management of resources. In particular, the Tempe History Museum was recognized for its openness to engaging in partnerships and listening to public feedback. It was also given high marks for its well-maintained, well-catalogued collections, many of which are digitally accessible. Additionally, it was recognized for its educational programs and how relevant they are to classroom instruction.

Tempe’s Public Works and IT departments also played a role in the accreditation, along with the History Museum and Library Advisory Board, Tempe Historical Society and the African American Advisory Committee.

To find out more and read the full release, click here.

A New Year is always a good time to learn something new!  Cities and towns are the best places to gain a little knowledge. From history museums to library cards, here’s to a resolution of lifetime learning.

Did you receive an e-reader for the holidays? If you find your Kindle still sitting under the tree, pull it out of its package and bring it to your local library! Many city and town libraries offer digital check-out of your favorite books. The City of Safford is hosting a workshop to help you learn how to download those audiobooks straight from the library website!

If you’re in the mood for mystery, the Scottsdale Public Library has a great way for you to get into the reading scene. Local author Jana Bommersbach will be visiting on Sunday, Jan. 25 to talk about her debut novel, Cattle Kate. Bommersbach is an award-winning journalist and author of The Trunk Murderess and Bones in the Desert. Find out more and RSVP here.

Check out your local city or town library for storytimes, technology workshops, digital downloads and good ol’ bookshelves for a New Year learning experience!

Whether you’re a history buff or just looking to brush up on your city’s past, your local history museum just might be the place to go. Many of Arizona’s cities and towns have museums full of artifacts and memorabilia to help you learn about those who came before you.

The Tempe History Museum is an especially fun place to learn something new in this New Year. Featuring “The Tempe Sound,” the museum is offering a look back at Tempe’s rockin’ past. Visit the exhibit to check out relics of bands who once graced Tempe’s streets or attend a lecture series to learn more about music and music history. Find out more at www.tempe.gov/museum.

Photo Courtesy of World’s Smallest Museum

We tend to focus on the things that make the loudest noises in our lives, but it’s important to take some time to appreciate the littler things, too. The World’s Smallest Museum hones in on this concept. The museum, standing at only 134 square feet displays common yet unique artifacts. A visit to the World’s Smallest Museum is a step back in time and a stroll down memory lane.

Included in the exhibit is a 1984 Compaq home computer, a Beatles concert poster, a 1960 letter from president-elect John F. Kennedy (to Jake Reaney), and the World’s Largest Apache Tear, which is a kind of rock.

Just outside of the museum is Waterfall Avenue and Memory Lane. These attractions are decorated with the artifacts of ordinary working equipment that have been recycled into fountains and waterfalls. It includes monuments to the unsung heroes and hardworking people of the world.

Photo Courtesy of Superstition Mountain Museum

Nestled in the east valley of the city of Apache Junction the Superstition Mountain Historical Society was formed on December 27, 1979.  As a non-profit corporation under Section 501 (c) 3, funding goes to organizing, collecting, and preserving the history and legends of Arizona’s Superstition Mountains, as well as the research, education and publications necessary to preserve history.

Perhaps nowhere in the entire United States is there an area full of legend, history and intrigue as the rugged 160,000 acre Superstition Mountain range in the Tonto National Forest in Central Arizona.

Archeological evidence indicates that people were here some 9000 years ago. Later inhabitants included the Salado, Hohokam and Apache Indians, followed by Spanish explorers and Mexican Gold Miners. Early American trappers and adventurers migrated to the area and were soon followed by cattlemen and farmers. Eventually, the U.S. Cavalry was sent in to establish forts to protect this rapidly growing population.

As modern times approached, men and women began searching for what they believed was the richest gold mine in the world. This mine was made famous by Jacob Waltz, known as “the Dutchman”, who took the secret of “his mine” to the grave in 1891.

Even today, treasure hunters scour the mountains searching for the Lost Dutchman Mine, but now they share the region with campers, hikers, horseback riders and conservationists in what has officially become the Superstition Wilderness Area.

http://superstitionmountainmuseum.org/

Image courtesy of tripadvisor.com

Just as Arizona is known as the “copper state,” it stands to reason that there should be a copper museum. While North America in itself is the largest copper producer in the world, Arizona sits on top amongst the states in being at the heart of copper production.

Most times when one encounters a museum – especially devoted to a natural resource – one would envision displays of pieces of the resource in its natural form, in small and large exhibits. However, this building of unique metal history shows through the Ages what man has done with the metal – “art of the average Joe” is what it could be deemed.  Out of the seven primary natural metals, copper was discovered in 9000 B.C. and its first use was in the form of weapons. Going from there, people constructed various items out of copper as well, to include kitchen and shop tools, and architecture.

The exhibits reveal copper art and collections for study, which were created by coppersmiths, soldier artists and braziers; many of whom were masters in their trade.  In addition, copper artifacts with an emphasis on American and European works-of-art from the 16th to the 21st century are all on display in this multi-room facility.

The Copper Art Museum is a new museum with roots that can be traced back to 1919, where an antique shop was located in Northern Minnesota.  In the early 1960’s copper wares were collected throughout Europe and later sold in the U.S.A. at on-the-road shows throughout the Midwest during the 1970’s.  The 1980’s – 90’s saw an increase in purchases and sales of copper artifacts from Europe and the U.S.A.

In the early 2000’s the collection was so large that plans of a museum came to life and a location was sought.  Later Clarkdale, Arizona was chosen as the site for a museum of copper art showcasing Arizona’s most precious treasure.

Photo courtesy of Skytamer.com

While airplanes are meant for the skies, the Border Air Museum has made a place for the huge aircrafts indoors, well at least via textual and photographic information.

The museum was a gift to the city of Douglas by the deceased Richard Westbrook and his wife Irma. The Border Air Museum was established to house Richard’s collection of air history that he had researched for a number of years.

Douglas was a popular space for aviation in the early 1900s. In 1908, a group of Douglas men formed the “Douglas aeronautical club” and built a glider from mail order plans. By 1909, the group had a motorized airplane of the canard-pusher design, the first airplane in Arizona. In 1913, planes that were used in the Mexican Revolution came to Douglas. After World War I, the barnstormers (these were the pilots who performed tricks with their airplanes) arrived. In 1928, the city purchased what would become the first international airport in the Americas in 1928.

The museum brings Douglas’ aviation history to life via photos, newspaper articles, letters, magazines and journals, among other times.

Many of us wish we could live like the cowboys in the movies. To live on the rugged edge of the world would be a dream. But alas, we had to accept the fact that not all of us could be movie cowboys. Now, though, you can vicariously live through the lives of at least one movie cowboy who came before us by visiting the Rex Allen Museum.

Rex Allen, 1920-1999, was known as the “Arizona Cowboy” and “Mister cowboy.” He was a real cowboy who became the last of the singing cowboys of Western movie family.

Those who visit the museum will see memorabilia from Rex’s lifetime success in rodeo, radio, movies and television.

While in Tucson, pay a visit to one of the world’s largest privately-funded, nongovernmental aerospace museums known for its significant collection of more than 300 commercial, private, civil, and military aircrafts. Once inside, enjoy a tour through The Main Hangar, 2 WWII hangars, the Space Gallery, 2 docent-led walking tours, a restoration viewing, informative exhibits, plus 150 more airplanes outdoors!

The 390th Memorial Museum—a stand-alone WWII military museum – is also located on the grounds, as well as the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame.

To learn about admission and hours of operation, visit: http://www.pimaair.org/

Bomb shelters, the Berlin Wall, weekly tests of the Emergency Broadcast System, the piercing sounds of air raid sirens, and the Space Race. These are the hallmarks of the “Cold War” era.

The Titan Missile Museum, located in the town of Green Valley, showcases the dramatic vestiges of the Cold War between the U.S. and former Soviet Union and provides a vivid education about the history of nuclear conflict-a history of keeping the peace.

Visitors enjoy a journey through time as they stand on the front line of the Cold War. This preserved Titan II missile site, officially known as complex 571-7, is all that remains of the 54 Titan II missile sites that were on alert across the United States from 1963 to 1987.

Able to launch from its underground silo in just 58 seconds, the Titan II was capable of delivering a 9-megaton nuclear warhead to targets more than 6300 miles (10,000 km) away in about 30 minutes. There is no other place in the world where visitors can get this close to an intercontinental ballistic missile in its operational environment. This one-of-a kind museum gives visitors a rare look at the technology used by the United States to deter nuclear war. What was once one of America’s most top secret places is now a National Historic Landmark, fulfilling its new mission of bringing Cold War history to life for millions of visitors from around the world.

http://www.titanmissilemuseum.org/