Armenian Library and Museum of America
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| Established | 1971 to 1985 |
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| Location | 65 Main Street, Watertown, Massachusetts |
| Coordinates | 42°21′59″N 71°11′09″W / 42.36644°N 71.18582°W |
| Type | Armenian |
| Visitors | 3000 (annually) |
| Director | Mariam Stepanyan (executive) |
| Curator | Gary Lind-Sinanian Susan Lind-Sinanian (textile curator) |
| Public transit access | MBTA |
| Website | www |
Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA), located in Watertown, Massachusetts, United States, is an institution that has the largest collection of Armenian artifacts in North America.
In 1971, alarmed by the growing loss and destruction of Armenian books and artifacts brought to this country by immigrants from Armenia, a group of talented Greater Boston Armenian-Americans banded together to form ALMA to collect and preserve these books and artifacts. From humble beginnings in two rooms rented in 1972 in a church parish house in Belmont, ALMA grew and expanded into a Watertown church's 4,000-square-foot (370 m2) basement and opened to the public in 1985.
In 1988, ALMA was able to buy and remodel the former Coolidge Bank and Trust Building at 65 Main Street in Watertown. After being opened to the public as the Armenian Library and Museum of America, the building was dedicated to the memory of Stephen P. Mugar and Marian G. Mugar, his wife.
ALMA's present home is a four-story building plus basement containing approximately 30,000 square feet (2,800 m2). ALMA occupies all of the basement, the first and second floors, most of the third floor and has its library on the fourth floor. The building also houses the United States offices of the Armenia Tree Project, as well as the Armenian International Women's Association ("AIWA") and Project SAVE Armenian Photographic Archives.
Bedoukian Hall is ALMA's main exhibit gallery. There are several smaller side galleries as well as the Contemporary Art Gallery and Terjenian-Thomas Art Gallery on the 3rd floor. Other facilities include the research library, studio space, offices, meeting rooms, classrooms, a 220-seat auditorium and a gift shop.
Armenian Museum of America (subdivision of ALMA) holds one of the largest and most diverse holding of Armenian cultural artifacts outside of Armenia. The Museum maintains an active program of changing exhibits for the public to provide new experiences for returning visitors and to showcase the wide range of materials in the collection. The museum averages 14 different exhibits annually.
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Wikipedia