IDABEL MUSEUM SOCIETY INC

COLLECTIONS CARE AND MANAGEMENT, EXHIBITIONS: IMSI CURATES COLLECTIONS FOR THE USE OF/AND BY THE MUSEUM OF THE RED RIVER CURRENTLY, OVER 30,000 ARTIFACTS ARE USED FOR PUBLICITY PURPOSES AND INCLUDE PRIMARILY ETHNOGRAPHIC ART FROM PREHISTORIC TO CONTEMPORARY TIMES. THE SOCIETY'S MAJOR FOCUS IS THE MATERIAL CULTURE OF NATIVE AMERICA; HOWEVER, IT ALSO HAS A GROWING NUMBER OF COMPARATIVE OBJECTS FROM AFRICA AND ASIA. THE SOCIETY ACCEPTS DONATIONS OF VARIOUS ARTIFACTS AND MEMORABILIA, IN WHICH THE ITEM VALUES MAY BE UNDETERMINED. THE SOCIETY ALSO PURCHASES COLLECTION ITEMS. ALL ITEMS ARE APPROVED BY THE BOARD BEFORE BEING CATALOGUED. IMSI PROVIDES VISUAL AND AESTHETIC EXPERIENCES TO OVER 19,000 VISITORS, OFF-SITE EXIBITS IN FOUR REGIONAL LIBRARIES AND THREE COMMUNITY CENTERS TO BROADEN OPPORTUNITIES TO THE LARGER COMMUNITY. IMSI HAS ALSO CONTRACTED WITH THE VALLEY OF THE CADDO MUSEUM(PARIS, TX) TO PROVIDE THEM WITH TWO EXHIBITS PER YEAR.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS: IMSI SUPPORTS THE EXHIBITIONS OF THE MUSEUM WHICH IN 2017 INCLUDED A MAJOR BUILDING EXPANSION PROJECT TO IMPROVE STORAGE COLLECTIONS AND ALL PUBLIC SPACES, INCLUDING EXHIBITION GALLERIES, MUSEUM STORE AND EDUATION PROGRAMMING SPACES. SUPPORT ALSO INCLUDES CHANGING DISPLAYS AND PERMANENT INSTALLATIONS, PLUS ROTATING DISPLAYS AT OFF-SITE LOCATIONS. OBJECTS MUST BE RESEARCHED FOR ACCURATE INFORMATION. THE PROGRAMS OF THE MUSEUM INCLUDE SCHOOL GROUP TOURS(SERVING 4000+ VISITORS), EDUCATIONAL CAMPS ON ARTS, CULTURE, AND NATURAL HISTORY FOR CHILDREN, PLUS MONTHLY SPEAKERS AND ARTISTS/DEMONSTRATORS.