Growing Pains at Autry National Center of the American West
The July 2 Los Angeles Times suggests that a conflict between the leadership of the Autry National Center of the American West (created when the original Autry merged with the Southwest Museum of the American Indian in 2003) and supporters of the Southwest Museum resembles “a cowboys-versus-Indians’style faceoff….” The Autry would like to expand in Griffith Park and – as with all development in the park – is facing major opposition; in addition to Los Feliz neighbors and conservationists who emphasize open space, Mount Washington neighbors advocate rehabilitating Southwest’s original home and expanding the exhibition space there – rather than moving artifacts to an expanded Autry.
This merger has never been accepted with equanimity by Southwest Museum supporters and the feud shows no signs of abating.
