New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU), founded in 1965, is a public non-profit art and history museum.

OUR EQUITY STATEMENT

New Museum Los Gatos | NUMU was founded in 1965 as a public non-profit art and history museum. NUMU’s mission is to engage the community at the intersection of art, history, and education through innovative, locally connected and globally relevant exhibitions, programs, and experiences. NUMU’s vision is to offer equal and equitable representation, opportunities, and services to all stakeholders through our operations, exhibitions, public programs, and permanent collection. NUMU is committed to antiracism, diversity, equity, inclusion, and access because it is vital for a community institution to actively support underrepresented groups through art, design, and creativity. We specifically commit NUMU to expanding access for all, including BIPOC, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and women content creators and audiences.

OUR LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Horše túuxi! (Hor-sheh troo-hee)

New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU) recognizes that it is located on the ethno-historic tribal territory of the Somontac (so-mon-tahk) / Partacsi (par-tahk-see) / Rictocsi (reehk-tohk-see) Thámien (thah-me-in) Ohlone (oh-loh-knee)-dialect-speaking tribal territory of the ancestral unceded tribal lands of the Muwekma Ohlone People whom were missionized in Missions Santa Clara and Santa Cruz. The Los Gatos region also includes the lands of the intermarried Thámiens (thah-me-in), Alsons (all-sohns), and other neighboring tribal groups whom were intermarried with the direct ancestors of some of the lineages enrolled in the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area. Muwékma suyyakma ~ The Muwekma families are the legal successors and living members of the sovereign, historic, Previously Federally Recognized Verona Band of Alameda County, now formally recognized as the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area. In the Chochenyo-Ohlone language, Muwékma (muh-wehk-mah) means La Gente (hen-theh) – The People.

This land was and continues to be of great spiritual significance and historical importance to the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe and other familial descendants of the Verona Band. We recognize that every member of the greater Los Gatos community has, and continues to benefit from the use and occupation of this land, since it was founded in 1887. Consistent with our values of community, inclusion, and diversity, we have a responsibility to acknowledge and make known through various enterprises NUMU’s relationship to Native Peoples. As members of the Los Gatos community, it is vitally important that we not only recognize the history of the land on which we live, work, and learn, but also, we recognize that the Muwekma Ohlone People are alive and thriving members of the Los Gatos and broader Bay Area communities today. Aho!

 Our History

New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU), formerly the Museums of Los Gatos, founded in 1965, is a public non-profit art and history museum located in the Civic Center Plaza in downtown Los Gatos. NUMU has gone through many transformations throughout our history as part of the Los Gatos community. Here's the backstory:

The Museums of Los Gatos sprang from the inspiration of resident, Dr. Ethel Dana, who felt that no town could be complete without a museum. In May 1965 the Town of Los Gatos agreed to lease the vacated firehouse at the corner of Main Street and Tait Avenue to the Los Gatos Museum Association for $1 per year. A fund drive was conducted and the town merchants contributed materials to refurbish the interior of the firehouse. After volunteers converted the building, The Los Gatos Museum opened its doors with ceremonies on May 20, 1967. The Forbes Mill Museum, the remaining two-story annex of James Alexander Forbes’ flour mill completed in 1854, housed the history collections, displayed in permanent and temporary exhibitions. The first artifact donated to the Museum was a money vest from the 1849 Gold Rush, given by George Lagormarsino, Alice McCammon, and William Allaway who also donated the mineral and gem collections. The Association was incorporated for the purpose of bringing the natural history, art, and history of Los Gatos and the region to the public. The Museum celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2015, which culminated in its opening in June as New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU) at the Los Gatos Civic Center Plaza. 

Contact Us

Phone 408.354.2646.
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 1904
Los Gatos, CA 95031