Flagstaff's Museum of Northern Arizona has received a 2015 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, one of five museums in the U.S. to receive the honor, the museum announced this week.
The MNA said in a news release that the award is the nation's highest honor given to museums and libraries for service to the community. It will be presented to the museum at a May 18 ceremony in Washington, D.C.
MNA impacts its community in a multitude of ways: offering enriching programs for all children through its Discovery Program, launching a Navajo language summer camp for Diné youth, producing forums that foster dialogue about critical community issues and the future of the region, celebrating the diversity of regional cultures through Heritage Festivals, and by offering a rich variety of educational exhibitions and public programs.
U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick nominated the MNA for the award last year.
The museum is celebrating the honor with a new program:
In celebration of winning the National Medal and as a way to say thank you to the Flagstaff community, MNA intends to launch a summer after-hours series called “Thirsty Thursdays,” weekly from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The museum will partner with community members and organizations to program different events from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Flagstaff residents can quench their cultural thirst through music, dance, storytelling, and hands-on activities.
To learn more about the museum, visit www.musnaz.org or call 928-774-5213.
Photo: Vivian Deshenny demonstrates a weaving technique at last year's Navajo Festival of Arts and Culture. | Courtesy of Museum of Northern Arizona