THE LOS GATOS HISTORY PROJECT
The goal of the Los Gatos History Project (LGHP), launched in September 2020, is to tell untold stories of Los Gatos and surrounding communities through an exploration of NUMU’s permanent art and history collections.
Phase I of the Los Gatos History Project includes documenting the Museum’s permanent collection of over 3,000 objects, photographs, ephemera, and artwork tied to the history of Los Gatos; and creating an accurate, detailed and publicly accessible database.
Phase II a demonstration and prep lab will be created to serve as a dedicated semi-public space to display artifacts, conduct conservation efforts and present public educational programs.
Phase III includes sharing the history and untold stories of our past, and educating local and global communities about the lives and times of Los Gatos residents and surrounding communities.
All of this will be accomplished through collaborations with community members, historians, conservators, curators, authors and academics through year-round public programs, presentations, demonstrations, hands-on workshops, and lectures.
NUMU’s Lower Floor Buildout Illustrations by Barney Davidge
Los Gatos History on Exhibition
The Los Gatos History Project is NUMU’s unprecedented effort to catalog and dive deeper into its permanent collection. This exhibition, the first to come out of the project, will present a selection of objects that have given the museum more questions than answers. By taking a critical look at these objects and the stories they tell, the exhibition will prompt visitors to ask: Who made these objects? Why did the museum collect them? What can we learn from them? And whose stories are missing? Through this exhibition, visitors will gain a greater understanding of museum collecting practices, and a greater appreciation for the hidden complexities of Los Gatos history.
We have officially opened our long-awaited Collections Lab - a demonstration and prep lab that serves as a dedicated space to display artifacts, conduct conservation efforts, and present public educational programs, open to the public during regular museum hours. Through this project, NUMU aims to demonstrate that history is anything but static! The Collections Lab is closed on Thursdays.
Learn More
The Los Gatos History Project Blog
Get an inside look into NUMU’s permanent collections! The Los Gatos History Project blog will highlight artifacts from the museum’s permanent collections, as well as topics and stories relevant to the history of Los Gatos and the surrounding areas. Comment, share, and engage with local history!
Questions? Email registrar@numulosgatos.org
