An Evening of Promise & Possibility
Held at the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art, 409 East College Boulevard, Roswell, New Mexico 88201
Every community has places that help define who it is.
For nearly ninety years, the Roswell Museum has belonged to this
community—not in ownership, but in memory.
It is where generations of schoolchildren discovered that art could change the way they saw the world. Where families returned again and again to share favorite galleries. Where artists found inspiration. Where scientists sparked curiosity. Where visitors encountered the stories that make Southeastern New Mexico unlike anywhere else.
Within the Roswell Museum's collection live the creativity, history, science, and spirit of our region. Together, they tell the story of who we are, where we have been, and what we choose to carry forward.
Museums do more than preserve objects.
They preserve wonder.
And that wonder belongs to all of us.
then everything changed…
In October 2024, unprecedented flooding placed thousands of objects in the Roswell Museum's collection at risk.
The road to recovery will take years. It requires extraordinary expertise, careful conservation, and the support of a community that believes these stories are worth preserving.
Today, approximately 6,000 collection items are undergoing conservation or assessment, with thousands more still requiring attention.
Every one of them tells a story.
Today, we have an extraordinary opportunity—not simply to restore what was damaged, but to ensure those stories continue inspiring future generations.
Preserve Our Past is our community's invitation to become a part of that next chapter.
How You Become a Part of the Story
On October 10, the Roswell Museum & Art Center Foundation invites you to an evening unlike any other.
Preserve Our Past is more than a fundraiser.
It is an opportunity to help preserve the stories, creativity, discoveries, and cultural heritage that define Southeastern New Mexico.
Held at the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art, POP brings together neighbors, artists, business leaders, philanthropists, and museum supporters for an elegant evening of connection and purpose.
By the end of the evening, every guest will have had the opportunity to become part of the museum's next chapter.
Every object has a story.
Every story deserves a future.
A Different kind of auction
~
A Different kind of auction ~
At most auctions, you bid to take something home.
At POP, you bid to ensure it never has to leave.
Throughout the evening, guests will discover approximately twenty remarkable works of art and collection objects, each with its own story and each among the thousands of pieces requiring professional conservation following the October 2024 flood.
As you explore the event, you'll have the opportunity to learn about the history, significance, and conservation needs of these featured pieces before the live auction begins.
When the auction starts, you won't be purchasing a work of art.
You'll become its Conservation Sponsor.
Your winning bid will help provide for the professional conservation of that object, allowing it to remain part of the Roswell Museum's permanent collection, where it can continue educating, inspiring, and connecting visitors for generations to come.
The featured pieces represent only a small glimpse of the museum's broader conservation effort—but through them, we hope to tell the larger story of recovery, stewardship, and the lasting impact a community can make when it comes together.
Because some stories are simply too important to lose.
Beyond
the
Evening…
The impact of POP doesn't end when the last guest goes home.
Every Conservation Sponsor becomes part of the continuing story of the object they help preserve.
As conservation projects are completed and works return to Roswell, Conservation Sponsors will be recognized in connection with the piece they helped conserve, honoring their generosity and the role they played in ensuring its future.
Sponsors will also be invited to a special Homecoming Reception, where they will be among the first to welcome conserved works back to our community and celebrate another milestone in the collection's recovery.
Long after the evening ends, the stories you help preserve will continue to educate, inspire, and spark wonder for generations to come.
October 10, 2026
6:00 - 9:00 PM
The anderson museum of contemporary art
409 E College Blvd, Roswell, NM 88201Admission: $100 per guest
-Champagne welcome toast
-Chef-selected hors d’oeuvres
-Cash bar
-Live Conservation Auction
-A chance to help preserve Roswell’s story
Your evening includes:
BECOME A SPONSOR!
Limited
to
6
LEGACY SPONSOR
$5,000
Prominent logo placement on event materials & signage
Individual sponsor recognition on social media
Verbal recognition during the program
Two complimentary tickets
Patron sponsor
$2,500
Logo placement on event materials & signage
Recognition in a sponsor appreciation post
One complimentary ticket
partner SPONSOR
$1,000
Name recognition on event materials & signage
Recognition in a sponsor appreciation post
What do you remember?
What do you remember?
Maybe it was your first school field trip.
Maybe it was standing beneath Robert Goddard's rockets.
Maybe it was discovering a painting that stopped you in your tracks.
Maybe it was bringing your own child—or grandchild—for the first time.
Museums become part of our lives one visit at a time. Those moments may feel small, but together they become something much larger: our shared story.
What memory of the Roswell Museum has stayed with you?
We would love to hear how the museum has been part of your life. Your memories remind us that preserving a museum means preserving the experiences that have shaped generations.