By Mike Donahue
Moapa Valley Progress
The Lost City Museum will be open for business as usual for at least another two years under the budget approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor earlier this year, a great relief for everyone in Moapa Valley.
Its fate was uncertain for much of this year’s bi-annual legislative session during which massive cuts were made throughout state operated entities and facilities. At one time, several Nevada museums, including the Lost City Museum, were threatened with closure in an effort to cut costs to meet the enormous budget deficit facing the state.
But saner heads prevailed and the rural museums in danger of the legislative chopping block were spared. The new two-year budgets kicked in July 1.
Unfortunately, while the Lost City Museum will remain in operation, its four-day a week schedule, Thursday through Sunday, will remain in effect indefinitely, according to Kathryne Olson, director.
The four-day schedule started in 2009 in response to legislative budget cuts. In addition to cutting days of operation, the museum was also forced to cut staff members. No new staff cuts are expected this year.
Additionally, Olson said administrative functions for Nevada museums are expected to move from the Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs, which is now defunct, to the Department of Tourism.
“The change won’t affect our day-to-day operation,” she said. “We’ll pretty much remain the same. But we’re hoping that being with the tourism department will help our marketing efforts.”
In more good news, Olson said the Lost City Museum has been awarded “some nice grants this year,” that will help the facility preserve its irreplaceable artifacts.
“Grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services will fund a professional conservator from Arizona who specializes in the conservation of archeological artifacts,” she said. “The conservator will help us sort and repack all the collections not on display and make sure they’re housed properly.”
A third grant from the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act will allow the Lost City Museum to hire a museum educator, Olson said.
“The educator from Washington state will help us make ‘traveling trunks’ that teachers can check out and use in their classrooms,” she said. “The trunks will help us make our materials, artifacts and information available to kids who can’t come here to see our exhibits.”
