The Autry National Center has appointed Dr. Shelby J. Tisdale to their newly created Vice President of Curatorial and Exhibitions position.
Tisdale will report to Autry's newly appointed President Richard West Jr., and will be tasked with "[guiding] the Center’s curatorial process, including its intellectual vision, and shape the future direction of exhibitions and acquisitions," according to spokesperson Yadhira De Leon.
Before being appointed, Tisdale was the Director of the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
“We are delighted to have Dr. Tisdale join the Autry team. Her combined experience in the museum and academic fields across the country will serve to enhance the Autry’s public programs and exhibitions and provide a holistic view of the American West,” said Marshall McKay, chairman of the Autry's Board of Directors. “I also look forward to her stewardship of the Autry Collections as we continue to grow as a prominent history and culture institution.”
Tisdale will be responsible for curating exhibits at both the Autry's Griffith Park Campus and the Southwest Museum in Mount Washington, which recently reopened for limited hours on Saturdays.
“It is an honor to be part of the leadership team that will be creating a new vision for this world-class museum,” Tisdale said. “I look forward to working with the board, staff and community in telling the fascinating multicultural stories that make up the past, present and future of the American West through exhibitions, publications and the promotion of scholarly research. The Autry’s diverse collections provide us with an opportunity to tell these stories in exciting new ways that engage and inspire life-long learning and spark the imagination. I am delighted to be joining the Autry at such a pivotal time as it moves into a new phase of growth and redefinition.”
