It’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted here. There are several reasons for my absence, and I’ll talk about them in a future post. Today though, I have something more urgent to discuss: the current state of the Roswell Museum.
Devastating Flooding in Roswell
On October 19th and 20th, catastrophic flooding devastated southeastern New Mexico. Two enormous, back-to-back thunderstorms slammed the region. The last time it experienced rainfall at this level was in 1901. To give you a sense of how intense these storms were, consider the following anecdote. When I called my former landlord (who thankfully survived the storm unscathed), he said that instead of the occasional yellow dot signifying a thunderstorm on his weather app, the entire southeast quadrant of New Mexico was yellow.
You can also watch this video of the flooding here.
If you haven’t heard about any of this, I’m not surprised. Hurricanes Helene and Milton dominated the weather-related headlines at the time. The election also occupied most of the news bandwidth. The results have been no less devastating though. Two people lost their lives. Countless more lost their homes or have been displaced.
And then there’s what happened to the Museum.
What Happened to the Roswell Museum
The torrential rainfall flooded the Museum from both its north and south sides. On the south side, the Spring River breached its embankment and poured into the galleries. From the north, water rushing down from the hill above the Museum infiltrated the Planetarium and clay studio. Water levels reached 4′ inside the building. I won’t share them publicly, but I’ve seen pictures of the Museum post-flooding, and the height of the water line shocked me. Not to mention all the mud and debris that was still in the building.
Thankfully the flooding did not hurt anyone on staff. But this is easily the biggest challenge that the Museum has faced in its 87-year history. And what’s so heartbreaking about it is that it was no one’s fault. The current infrastructure could not have stopped the floodwaters. Hell, the last time there was a flood like this, the Museum didn’t even exist.
According to current personnel, it could take years for the Roswell Museum to fully recover from the flood. The clay studio and Planetarium both sustained heavy damage. All of the collections, from the artwork to the Goddard rocketry collection, will require conservation. Not everything can likely be saved. I haven’t dared to ask about the archive, but I suspect it’s been damaged too.
Why the Roswell Museum Matters
Anyone who’s ever spent any time on this blog knows that the Roswell Museum is a critical site to my life and work. It’s where I learned how to be a curator. My first peer-reviewed article was about a group of World War II drawings in its art collection. The hours I spent in its WPA archive were the initial catalyst for my doctoral research. The novel I started writing last month, my first effort at fiction in 20 years, is based on a memoir recounting my time in Roswell. And of course, it’s where I met my husband, easily the best thing to come out of my time there. I may no longer work there, but seeing such extensive damage inflicted on a place that’s meant so much to my life story has left me heartbroken.
But the Museum’s importance transcends any connections with me and my work. As a former federal community art center, the Roswell Museum is a witness to arguably the most ambitious federal arts-access initiative ever attempted in the history of this country. It’s home to the largest public collection of work by Peter Hurd and Henriette Wyeth, as well as scientific equipment from pioneering rocketeer Robert H. Goddard. Thomas Messer, legendary director of the Guggenheim Museum in New York, started his art administration career at the Roswell Museum, where he served as its director in the early 1950s. It’s provided artists, educators, art historians, and more with a livelihood. For many artists, the Roswell Museum was their introduction to the art world. Most importantly, it has shared art and culture with generations of Roswell residents.
In short, this place is a treasure, and if it’s ever needed your help, now is the time.
How You Can Help
The most effective way to help the Museum is to donate to its foundation, which you can do here. The Museum is currently getting assistance from the state and FEMA, both in terms of funding and specialized assistance. It will take years to fully reconcile the damage though, so ongoing funding is critical.
I wish I could end this post on a hopeful note for you. The truth is though, the Museum is hurting, and to get better, it needs all our help and support. So if you can, please consider contributing to the foundation. Let’s make sure the Museum is here for at least another 87 years.