Las Vegas Natural History Museum Declared a Federal Repository for Southern Nevada by the Bureau of Land Management

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2015

Las Vegas Natural History Museum Declared a Federal Repository for Southern Nevada by the Bureau of Land Management
More than 750 boxes of archeological artifacts find their home at the
Las Vegas Natural History Museum

LAS VEGAS – The Bureau of Land Management has declared the Las Vegas Natural History Museum a federal repository for all archeological and paleontological finds in Southern Nevada. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums since 2013, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum will house excavated materials to be used for research and learning purposes as well as to be included in archeological exhibits.

“Curating archaeological and paleontological materials as close to their source of origin as possible allows for enhanced public education and school programs through partnerships between the museum and local schools and organizations,” said Bryan Hockett, PhD, lead archaeologist and Deputy Preservation Officer for the Bureau of Land Management in Nevada. “In addition, people vacationing to areas such as Las Vegas often seek out local museums to learn about the natural history, archaeology, and paleontology of the area they are visiting. Housing the old Harry Reid Center collections at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum will realize all of these goals.”

More than 750 boxes of various archaeological artifacts made their way home to the Las Vegas Natural History Museum on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015, after previously being housed at the Harry Reid Center of Excellence at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). The collection, containing items such as ancient pottery shards and authentic woven baskets, has been collected over the past 40 years and span more than 10,000 years of history. To ensure the preservation of each artifact, the boxes will be properly examined and documented by a professional curator.

Photo cutline #1: (left to right) Gene Hattori, PhD, NSM Curator of Anthropology; Marilyn Gillespie, Executive Director of the Las Vegas Natural History Museum; Bryan Hockett, Ph.D., BLM NV Deputy Preservation Officer; Pat Barker, PhD, NSM and former BLM State Archaeologist.; Evan Pellegrini, NSM intern unload the Harry Reid Center collection of archeological artifacts to their new home at the LVHNM on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015

ABOUT THE LVNHM:
The Las Vegas Natural History Museum opened in 1991 and is a private, non–profit institution that strives to inspire, through educational exhibits and programs, a better understanding and appreciation of the natural world, the sciences, and ourselves. Please visit www.lvnhm.org or call (702) 384–3466 for additional information.

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