American Indian museum is under siege

This dispute is complicated. But it seems the Autry National Center wants the Southwest Museum of the American Indian to move from its historic 1914 building near the Pasadena Freeway (Route 66) to an expanded facility in Griffith Park.

The Southwest Museum’s supporters, Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition, don’t want it to move, and it alleges the Autry folks are playing hardball.

The Southwest Museum has been toured by generations of schoolchildren to gaze at American Indian artifacts and learn about Indian culture. It remains the oldest museum in Los Angeles. The Autry Museum became a relatively recent suitor for the museum after it had languished for years.

The Autry Museum claims the the Southwest Museum is no longer viable at its current location. Southwest Museum supporters counter that by noting that a new commuter train stop was built nearby.

Many Southwest Museum supporters don’t want a tie-in with the new facility because the focus would mainly be on former cowboy movie star and musician Gene Autry. Plus the “cowboy raiding the Indians” symbolism rubs many museum supporters the wrong way.

The Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition is holding a meeting at 7 p.m. March 29 at Ramona Hall at 4580 N. Figueroa in Highland Park, Calif., to discuss the current situation and future options. On top of that, a museum volunteer has reported that the Autry Museum would cease all tours at the Southwest Museum effective July 1.

Scott Piotrowski, an author about Route 66 in Los Angeles and a member of the Southwest Museum Coalition, urges people to write to the Los Angeles City Council, urging them to reject the expansion of the Autry Museum and keep the Southwest Museum where it is.