Only in Albuquerque

On Sunday, November 16, 2014 at 2 pm, Deb Slaney, the aM’s curator of history, will talk about the content, planning process, and installation of the new history exhibit. Ms. Slaney will describe how building renovation, collections documentation, and public input have all come together to create the exhibition, which opens on March 3, 2015. The presentation will be given at the Albuquerque Museum in Old Town.

Only in Albuquerque features a greatly expanded story of our city from before written history to the present, set in an engaging, fun, and interactive atmosphere. Our story is told through four galleries – Spirited, Courageous, Resourceful and Innovative, all connecting to a central gallery entitled Our Land. This physical layout reinforces the exhibition’s central theme: Different cultures, interacting with each other in a unique geographic setting, have developed shared characteristics found only in Albuquerque and the middle Río Grande Valley. Hundreds of our city’s most beloved artifacts are featured, with additional objects recently acquired yet to be unveiled.

Deborah C. Slaney is curator of history for The Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, and Casa San Ysidro in Corrales. Ms. Slaney holds a Master of Liberal Arts with Museum Emphasis from the University of Oklahoma, and a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Arizona. Deb’s research interests include Pueblo and Spanish Colonial archaeology, Hispano material culture, and Southwestern popular culture.

Her professional publications include Wonders of the Weavers/Maravillas de los tejedores: 19th Century Río Grande Weavings from the Collection of The Albuquerque Museum; Jewel of the Railroad Era: Albuquerque’s Alvarado Hotel; and Blue Gem, White Metal: Carvings and Jewelry from the C.G. Wallace Collection.