Museum affiliation

The Ellen Noël Art Museum has been accepted as an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, a release issued by Ellen Noël Art Museum publicist Jessica Smith said.

The museum is the first West Texas entity to hold the status. The Smithsonian Affiliation program allows selected organizations to have greater access to the millions of artifacts in its collections and to the educational resources of the 47 museums, libraries and research centers of the Smithsonian Institution.

The program also promotes resource sharing, educational initiatives, scholarly exchange and research efforts. Affiliate organizations are selected for their record of presenting high quality exhibitions, scholarship, museum educational programs and professionalism. 

“Those who live in West Texas are fortunate to have the Ellen Noël Art Museum in their community,” said Harold A. Closter, director of Smithsonian Affiliations. “This museum has a well-deserved reputation for excellent exhibitions, engaging education programs and knowledgeable, committed staff.”

Some of the artifacts available to the Ellen Noël Art Museum are paintings, drawings, photographs, prints and sculpture from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and from other Smithsonian Institution museum collections on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.