The Global Village Museum of Arts and Culture was founded in 2010 by four people who loved traveling the worlding and collecting artifacts. Since opening their location in 2011, the collection has only grown and the museum now has two permanent and two rotating exhibits. The mission of the museum is to present exhibits of art and objects from diverse world cultures and to offer community events and educational programs to build mutual understanding and greater cultural competence.
We spoke with Leisa Taylor, Director of Communications & Outreach, to learn more about the Global Village Museum and why she loves Fort Collins.
What do you love about Fort Collins?
I love the open spaces and footpaths throughout the city for people to walk, run, or ride bicycles. The trails meander through nature and beautiful landscapes so “exercising” is calming and enjoyable.
What are your top 3 favorite activities to do in Fort Collins?
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Walking the trails
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Eating in the fantastic restaurants
What "can't miss" activity/restaurant/place would you tell a first-time visitor to go?
I would recommend the annual Rist Canyon Mountain Festival northwest of Fort Collins to benefit the Rist Canyon Volunteer Fire Department. The Festival, with free admission and ample free parking, features live music, a gigantic used book sale, silent auction, firefighter dunk tank, plant sale, bake sale, art and craft vendors, food trucks, tractor-pulled hayride, kids’ activities, farm animals, and free ice cream. The 2024 Festival is Saturday, Sept. 7, from 10 am to 4 pm.
What makes the Global Village Museum unique?
The Global Village Museum (GVM) is both an internationally-oriented and community-led organization. It is the only Museum in Colorado that focuses exclusively on international arts, cultures, and peoples. Volunteers from the community curate exhibits, loan exhibit objects, lead educational programs, and serve as docents. Local artists and collectors are also invited to display their artwork and treasures. Two to four programs are offered monthly and feature university professors and experts speaking on current events or Main Gallery topics. The Museum also has a Global Adventures club that hosts programs designed for those who love to travel, want to recount their travel experiences, delight in sharing stories of travel, and/or dream of traveling one day.
What is the story behind how the Global Village Museum got its start?
The multi-talented Jeanne Nash – knitter, weaver, needle-pointer, jeweler, and designer – began collecting folk art in 1989 during her many travels abroad. In 2006, she opened the Mundoville (“world village”) Museum in her home, with a mission to promote cultural understanding through displays of miniatures and folk dolls. Jeanne believed that with knowledge of other cultures, people would appreciate their similarities rather than focus on their differences. In 2010, Jeanne collaborated with three other world travelers and collectors: John Roberts, Martha Denney, and Stuart Price. Together, they formed the Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures, and in April 2011, they secured the Museum’s current location at 200 West Mountain Avenue. Sadly, Jeanne died just a month later – in May 2011 – and Stuart Price and John Roberts are also since deceased.
What do you want visitors to experience at the Global Village Museum?
GVM has four galleries – two permanent and two rotating – that feature international arts and cultures:
The Main Gallery is a rotating gallery, offering community and volunteer-curated exhibits that highlight international peoples and topics.
The permanent Mundoville Gallery features the world in miniature. The collection, donated by the late Jeanne Nash, showcases miniature houses, multiple small-scale scene replications, and hundreds of international folk dolls from around the globe. The displays offer a geographic tour of the world with an amazing array of different customs, clothing designs, and ways of life.
Village Arts Gallery is a permanent home to world folk art, fine art, and artifacts, all donated by founding members and local collectors. The collection represents ancient, traditional, and contemporary cultures with an emphasis on Africa, Asia, and Oceania.
The Hall Gallery rotates with exhibits often complimenting the Main Gallery theme. The displays are frequently in partnership with professors and students from Colorado State University, the University of Northern Colorado, and other educational institutions.
In addition to these four galleries, GVM delights the visitor with:
Losel Doll House: Losel Dolls were made in the 1980s and 90s by Buddhist monks from Tibet living in exile in India after the takeover of Tibet by Communist China in 1959. The figures, standing over a foot tall, are completely handmade, from the frame of the body to the intricate design of costumes and accessories. The Dolls, in addition to being exceptional works of art, symbolize the rich social and cultural heritage of Tibet. The collection, one of the largest in the country, was donated by the late Jeanne Nash, who bought the Dolls and had them shipped from India over a span of 20 years.
International Music Room: A smaller room in the Museum features musical instruments from around the world. Children and youth are invited to play the instruments and learn about their origin.
(Photos courtesy of the Global Village Museum)
Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures
Business Hours: 11am to 5pm Tuesday- Saturday
Address: 200 West Mountain Avenue
Phone: (970) 221-4600
Email: outreach@globalvillagemuseum.org
Website: www.globalvillagemuseum.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlobalVillageMuseum
Instagram: https://instagram.com/globalvillagemuseum
