New Mesa Verde Interpretive Center Opens Thursday

New Mesa Verde Interpretive Center Opens Thursday
No more artifacts moldering in the “Tin Shed.” No more storing archives in nooks and crannies. No more driving a long, narrow, winding road to learn what Mesa Verde National Park has to offer.  After decades of fundraising and lobbying, and five months after a “soft” opening, the Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center will (host) its grand opening Thursday morning. “What we hope to accomplish is to help people plan their trip to the park, to excite them and give them lots of questions that they have to visit the park to answer,” said Mesa Verde collection curator Tara Travis. “Before, especially for people who got here later in the day, they had to drive all the way up to the park to see what’s here.” http://bit.ly/15ZTgYA – Durango Herald

Start Your Summer with a New Exhibit in the Cool White Mountains
Join Archaeology Southwest for the opening of a new exhibit featuring the aerial photography of Adriel Heiesy. Adriel has captured a series of images that highlight the breathtaking beauty of Arizona’s White Mountains and the ways that ancient, historic, and modern people have made a life in a rugged and challenging landscape. The exhibit opens at 8:00 a.m. on May 25, 2013, at the Springerville Heritage Center, 418 East Main Street, Springerville, with an opening reception at 6:00 p.m. Mr. Heisey will provide a narrated talk about his artistic process and his impressions of the region from his unique aerial perspectives on time and space in the Mogollon Highlands. http://bit.ly/10GXMT3

Gila Cliff Dwellings Closed June 3–7
Gila Cliff Dwellings will be closed for hazard rock removal from the cliff face directly above the dwellings. Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument will offer twice-daily, ranger-guided tours of the TJ Site while the cliff dwellings are closed. The National Park Service apologizes for any inconvenience that this work may cause visitors who come specifically to visit the cliff dwellings, but the safety of our visitors and staff requires that this work be accomplished before summer rains begin later in July. For further information, please contact the Gila Visitor Center at (575) 536-9461 or e-mail Chief of Interpretation Rodney Sauter at Rodney_Sauter@nps.gov.

Behind-the-Scenes Tours Offered at Anasazi Heritage Center
The Bureau of Land Management’s Anasazi Heritage Center near Dolores, Colo., houses collections from one of North America’s most important archaeological regions: the Four Corners area.  The public is invited to explore behind-the-scenes, for an intimate glimpse into the curated collection in the depths of the museum’s basement. “When a person visits a museum, they only see a fraction of the items housed in the confines of the building,” said Bridget Ambler, Anasazi Heritage Center Curator. “We are excited to offer the public an opportunity to see the wide array of objects and archives that represent 12,000 years of deep history in the American Southwest and, in particular, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.” The weekly “Behind-the-Scenes” tours are on Thursdays at 2 p.m. from May 2, 2013, through October 31, 2013. Participants should reserve a place in advance by calling (970) 882-5600, as space is limited.

Navajo Nation Archaeology Department Returns to NAU
A new agreement between the Navajo Nation Archaeology Department (NNAD-NAU) and Northern Arizona University (NAU) will help train Navajos and Native Americans to become leaders in the field of archaeology.  NNAD-NAU Program Manager, Ora Marek-Martinez, says that the need for the program is obvious.  “Overall, the number of Native American archaeologists is really, really low,” Marek-Martinez said. “While there are a lot of tribal members who are technicians or lower type of position archaeologists, there are very few who are the actual principal investigators or who have a management position.” http://bit.ly/115Fef1 – Navajo-Hopi Observer

Lecture Opportunity – Santa Fe
Southwest Seminars Presents Matthias Strecker, who will  give a lecture on “Tiwanaku: An Andean Civilization” on May 27 at Hotel Santa Fe as part of the annual Ancient Sites Ancient Stories II Lecture Series held annually to honor and acknowledge the work of the Archaeological Conservancy. Admission is by subscription or $12 at the door. No reservations are necessary and refreshments are served. Contact Connie Eichstaedt, tel: 505 466-2775, email: southwestseminar@aol.com website: http://bit.ly/YhJddr

Employment Opportunity
The Arizona State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)/Arizona State Parks (ASP) is going to be hiring an archaeological compliance reviewer; please see  the link to the State Jobs website for more detailed information.  If you have any questions, please contact our Human Resources representative at ASP, Vicki Adney, atvadney@azstateparks.gov or (602) 542-6919.  Job announcement for the Planner III, Archaeological Compliance Specialist https://azstatejobs.azdoa.gov/ltmprod/xmlhttp/shorturl.do?key=1FS

Latest News From the Archaeology Channel
The latest installment of the Video News from TAC features a project in Florida. aided by a hurricane which finds an ancient Native American town where Hernando de Soto and his army encamped and which later became one of the earliest Spanish missions established in what is now the United States. You can see these stories in the May 2013 edition of this monthly half-hour show, available now on the nonprofit streaming-media Web site, The Archaeology Channel (http://www.archaeologychannel.org) as well as on cable TV in cities across the US.