UCLA is undeniably one of the most diverse and dynamic college
campuses in the country. It plays host to Nobel Prize-winning
professors, Division I sports teams, a happening social scene and
even an on-campus museum ““ the last being the least
obvious.
Unbeknownst to many students, the Fowler Museum of Cultural
History sits in the shadows below Royce Hall. It is a place where
cultures from around the world are examined and presented.
Currently underway with a yearlong 10/40 celebration, the museum is
commemorating its 10th year in the present North Campus location in
the Fowler building and the 40th year since it was first
established.
The museum is celebrating this landmark year with a variety of
activities designed to bolster attendance and spark interest in its
diverse exhibitions. A main attraction is the “Fowler Out
Loud” series running from Oct. 2 to Nov. 20, showcasing
assorted performances by UCLA students. The first show in the cycle
will be themed as an Afro-Brazilian dance party. DJ Mwana Comete, a
doctoral student in ethnomusicology, will be spinning West African
dance music compiled with the samba rhythms of Brazil.
“We thought that by having a program that was by students
and for students, it would encourage more students to come,”
Fowler Museum director Marla Burns said. “Plus, students are
always looking for performance venues, and this way, we could
provide a venue where they could get the experience. We are pretty
much willing to have anyone perform who has enough experience and
can be professional about it.”
Originally founded in 1963 by then chancellor Franklin D.
Murphy, the museum was located in the basement of Haines Hall. It
has since transferred to its current, less mysterious site and it
shows a collection of art and artifacts from Africa, Asia and the
Pacific and the Americas.
Although attendance at the museum has tripled since the move to
its location in Fowler (partly due to the success of last
year’s “Fowler Out Loud”), student turnout has
remained relatively low.
“One of the things that concerned me was the poor
visitation on the part of students,” Burns said. “We
don’t have all the answers (as to) why students don’t
come. Instead of trying to figure out why students aren’t
coming, we develop programs to encourage them to come.”
However, despite having such a unique resource at their
fingertips, students generally walk by this museum everyday without
even a second glance. It hangs banners encouraging people to stop
by, but aside from the students who come to research for a class,
few dare venture inside the lonely giant. This is something that
Burns, who received her bachelor’s degree, master’s and
doctorate in art history all at UCLA, truly wishes to change.
“We want students to come in, even if it’s only for
a break between classes,” Burns said. “That way, they
can see what the museum is about and will want to come back for
more.”
Admission to the museum is free for students.
For more information, visit www.fowler.ucla.edu.