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Autry Museum scraps $175 million expansion
'Cowboys and Presidents' exhibition at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles, California, in June 2008.
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Autry Museum scraps $175 million expansion
Autry Museum scraps $175 million expansion
Officials at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles today blamed activists for their decision to scrap a $175 million expansion at the Autry’s Griffith Park location.
Those activists wanted the Autry to commit to funding the Southwest Museum in Mt. Washington in perpetuity. Eliot Sekuler with the Southwest Society doesn’t apologize for that demand.
Eliot Sekuler: "I take no joy in blocking the Autry’s expansion in Griffith Park, the project was actually a worthy one and would have been a good addition to the city. We just didn’t want that expansion to take place at the expense of the Mt. Washington site."
The Autry, founded two decades ago by former singing cowboy Gene Autry, took over the troubled Southwest Museum and its huge Indian artifacts collection six years ago. Autry officials said they’ve already spent close to $8 million for upgrades and payroll.
L.A. councilmen Ed Reyes and Jose Huizar blocked the Autry’s expansion plans as the museum sought city approval and activists threatened lawsuits. An Autry spokeswoman said the museum’s moving forward with smaller-scale renovations as it prepares for several major exhibits later this year.
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