Landmark donation seeds growth plan for National Roller Coaster Museum
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Cliff's Amusement Park donates $25,000 to the NRCMA to "Protect the Past". No one knows the importance of preserving history like an American treasure. Cliff’s Amusement Park in Albuquerque is one of those treasures. The park has been entertaining families in the same exciting and wholesome way as they did when the park opened in 1959. That effort to stay true to the industry now includes a $25,000 donation to the National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives to preserve and protect the history of theme and family amusement parks like Cliff’s.
“We all feel the work the NRCMA is doing is important,” Gary and Linda Hays, owners of Cliff’s Amusement park said. “We are talking about the history of fun, the history of family togetherness, the history of our industry. The NRCMA has taken the lead in establishing the early beginnings of a museum for our amusement industry and we wanted to support their efforts.”
The NRCMA recently completed construction on its archiving building in the South Plains of Plainview, Texas. Acquisition of artifacts from the Texas Giant and the classic suspended coaster the Big Bad Wolf has already stretched the facility. Further acquisitions continue to roll into the museum’s facilities awaiting academic research and cataloging. The donation from Cliff’s Amusement Park will be used to continue to expand the capability of the museum’s archiving process. Still, a cash donation of this magnitude is inspiring.
“The donation by Gary and Linda Hays and the team at Cliff’s is an extraordinary and generous gift,” Gary Slade, NRCMA Chairman said. “We hope that this donation serves as the catalyst for more park owners and managers, ride manufacturers and brokers to step forward to assist us in the important work preserving the history of the amusement industry. We are on our way, but we need more donations to ensure the future success o f our efforts.”
An official presentation of the donation will be made at the International Amusement Parks and Attractions convention in Orlando in November.
National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives completes new 2,600-sq.-ft. Texas building
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
History preserved.
A 2,600-square-foot building stands in an empty field in Plainview, Texas. It is filled with memories. Gleeful screams and afternoons of smiles sit on its shelves. In its new building, the National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives houses tens of thousands of artifacts, papers and archives, but among the most exciting items in their collection is the assortment of ride vehicles that span the age of the amusement park.
"While it might not be the Smithsonian, it can easily compare to the proverbial candy store for the thousands who have enjoyed what the industry has had to offer in the last century. There is a little bit of everything there and certainly something for everyone, even if you had never stepped foot in an amusement park," Richard Munch, NRCMA historian said. "It seems like almost every day something shows up, whether cars, track, photographs, brochures or coffee mugs."
National Roller Coaster Museum Embraces New Future
Monday, July 06, 2009
The National Roller Coaster Museum and Archive has a new board and a new vision to share its vast amusement park and roller coaster archives with the public. The NRCMA's goal is to preserve and protest the history and heritage of the amusement park industry. "Our concern is that someone is throwing away this history everyday and we want to be sure to get the word out that we are certainly interested in saving these bits and pieces of Americana. Without these efforts to collect this material, these pieces of history - these treasures from our childhood memories - will be lost forever." Richard Munch, historian and NRCMA board member said.