On the one year anniversary of the decision by the Glendale City Council to enter into an exclusive negotiating agreement with representatives of the Armenian community of California for the construction of an Armenian American Museum in Glendale, the governing board of the museum unveiled the museum logo and launched its website to increase awareness about the project initiated by the Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of Western USA.
“Our progress towards building the Armenian American Museum next to the Glendale Civic Auditorium has reached the stage where we can launch a website and introduce the project to the public,” announced His Eminence Hovnan Derderian, the Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America and Co-Chair of the Armenian American Museum’s governing board.
“The logo and the website are vehicles for communicating the identity of the museum and engaging the community in conversations on the mission of the Armenian American Museum,” explained His Eminence Moushegh Mardirossian, the Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church, who co-chairs the governing board of the museum.
The governing board of the Armenian American Museum was designated in August of this year by the Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of Western USA to direct and guide the work on building and sustaining a museum about the Armenian American experience and empowering individuals to speak out against prejudice.
The governing board of the Armenian American Museum consists of representatives from the following nine regional Armenian American institutions and organizations: Armenian Catholic Eparchy, Armenian Cultural Foundation, Armenian Evangelical Union of North America, Armenian General Benevolent Union – Western District, Armenian Relief Society – Western USA, Nor Or Charitable Foundation, Nor Serount Cultural Association, Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, and Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
The logo is an artistic reflection of the shape of the twin peaks of Mount Ararat as seen from the Armenian Genocide Memorial at Tsitsernakaberd, Armenia. The first letters from Armenian American Museum have been shaped and combined to create the image of Mount Ararat.
The website allows the community to learn about the vision for the museum, exhibits, program components, and location. It also provides opportunities to engage in the development of the museum and submit suggestions. The concept design of the museum will be added to the website after it is presented to the City Council. The website can be accessed at www.armenianamericanmuseum.org.
The Armenian American Museum plans to engage an Outreach Coordinator to organize meetings in November and December with local organizations and the public about the Museum. The Outreach Coordinator will focus on creating opportunities for Armenian as well as non-Armenian residents of Glendale and surrounding areas to participate in the process of developing a museum that achieves its mandate.
The governing board co-chairs indicated that they are on schedule to conclude negotiations in the coming couple of months with the City on a long term ground lease for the 1.7 acre property adjacent to the Glendale Civic Auditorium and across from the Glendale Community College.