By Haig Der Manuelian
As of Christmas Eve, Santa Claus bestowed upon the Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA) its new name, “Armenian Museum of America, Inc.,” in recognition of its meteoric rise as a major museum. The important words “Armenian” and “America” remain in the title because our museum is for all and belongs to all. With this change, this institution will be known for its uniquely distinct role as the largest Armenian museum outside of Armenia. We will continue to enhance the holdings of our adjunct research library named for the late Mesrop Boyajian.
The Armenian Museum of America
In 1971, the Armenian Library and Museum of America, Inc. was formed with nothing but a dream. We were amazed at the spectacular 3,000-year Armenian culture, forged on an anvil of tragedy which, against all odds, our ancestors developed, nurtured, and protected despite countless invasions, ravages, and destruction by barbaric forces from all sides, and even despite the Armenian Genocide. Those of us involved then saw our mission to honor our ancestors and the victims of the genocide by creating a permanent, living memorial library and museum. At that time, we expected significant acquisitions mostly for our intended library, while hoping against hope for a modest number of artifacts. For that reason, when we decided on a name for our organization, the word “Library” preceded the word “Museum.”
Because we wanted our institution to belong to all, our fledgling organization was called the Armenian Library and Museum of America, instead of bearing the name of one or more major contributors. Eventually, we incorporated it as a non-profit organization qualified by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a public charity. First, however, we had the presence of mind to detour, partly from our ultimate mission, during our first few years, to focus on recording the oral histories of hundreds of survivors of the Armenian Genocide before they all left us.
In 1996, Dr. James Russell, the Mashdots Professor of Armenian Studies at Harvard University, and a scholar of very high note, described ALMA’s collections: “Over all, it is perhaps the most important Armenian museum collection after the Armenian State Historical Museum in Yerevan and the collections of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem in Israel.” By then, our museum was a shining beacon and its holdings had multiplied beyond our wildest expectations: It included the major eclectic collections from the Bedoukian Families, numerous inscribed Armenian rugs from the late Arthur T. Gregorian, and Kutahya tiles from the Karabians, among so many other gifts generously donated to build our collections.
That was 17 years ago. Since 1996, our holdings have multiplied dramatically. Just in the past four years alone, we have acquired the Yousuf Karsh Collection of photographic portraiture, post-Soviet Armenian paintings from the famed Norton Dodge Collection, the Berj Garabedian Metal Arts Collection, the Almasian Family Map Collection, and numerous other accessions. Our holdings now exceed 20,000 objects and are buttressed and enhanced by our ever-growing Mesrop Boyajian Research Library, now with over 27,000 titles.
In addition, the museum has created various travel exhibits for display anywhere in the U.S. Our three major travel exhibits are “Who Are the Armenians,” the “Gamavor Exhibit,” and the “The Ongoing Armenian Genocide: Death, Denial & Desecration.” The Gamavor Exhibit is currently being translated and will be shown in France. We are proud that our travel Genocide Exhibit was shown primarily in various non-Armenian sites including an eight-month showing at the Virginia Holocaust Museum, the third largest such museum in the United States. The Holocaust Museum is now seeking to develop its own permanent Armenian Genocide exhibit.
Our Armenian Museum belongs to all of us, Armenian or not, because its realization is attributable to the tremendous support from so many in so many various ways.
We urge everyone to continue their support, whether financial or in the form of donations of artifacts or books, or volunteering, or in any other way.
Santa Claus will never forget us. Will you?
Haig Der Manuelian is chairman of the Board at the Armenian Library and Museum of America.