The following article summarizes the original event which is listed below the summary.
Museums in change: From objects to people
“Museums in Change: From Objects to People” was the title, and an apt description of Alejandra Peña Gutiérrez’s presentation for the April 2026 UMRA Forum. Peña Gutiérrez has been director of the Weisman Art Museum on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus since 2021. She described how museums have shifted from huge exhibitions of objects and architecturally distinct buildings—such as the Weisman—to focusing on people and communities.
One of the motivating factors for the shift was the 1990 passage of the federal Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Although the University initially returned human remains under a 1989 Minnesota state law, a substantial amount of pottery—created by the Mimbres people (c. 1000–1150) and obtained from grave site excavations conducted by UMN faculty and students from 1929 to 1931—remained on display at the Weisman through 2019. Descendants of the Mimbres objected because they considered the pottery as intermingled with their ancestors, as both come from and return to the earth.
A resolution passed by the Board of Regents in February 2022 endorsed repatriation of the Mimbres objects in compliance with NAGPRA. Peña Gutiérrez cited the statement made at the meeting by Board Chair Ken Powell after the resolution was passed:
“It is the moral and ethical calling of our land grant university that inspires and guides us, demanding that we act justly by repatriating that which was never ours. … We cannot undo the past. We can accept responsibility for it.”
Guided by knowledge and empathy
The repatriation process has been thorough and involved substantial consultations with the Pueblos or Indigenous peoples of the southwestern U.S. Interestingly, the first known repatriation in the U.S. occurred in 1938. It involved a request from the Hidatsa tribe of North Dakota for the return of a sacred medicine bundle from the Museum of the American Indian in New York City.
In the current consultation process, the Weisman is partnering with the Hopi Tribe and other Pueblo communities. It is one of the largest repatriations that will be taking place in the Southwest. Although too often viewed as adversarial, Peña Gutiérrez said, “it is a wonderful opportunity for reflection … guided by knowledge and empathy. It is not the end but the beginning of our relationship with the Indigenous community.”
During the Q and A, Peña Gutiérrez described the extensive efforts by Wiesman staff to engage with students on campus. The Weisman is attempting to build stronger community connections, and believes its work with the descendants of the Mimbres has built trust. A recent acquisition from a Pueblo artist is a good example of how museums should interact with native communities, she said.
The forum showed that the Weisman—much more than a shiny building—is worthy of deeper investigation. Perhaps UMRA will arrange a visit for members?
—Julie Sweitzer, UMRA Program Committee
The changing role of art museums
Tue, April 28, 2026, at 11am
Alejandra Peña Gutiérrez
Director, Weisman Art Museum
University of Minnesota
Midland Hills Country Club
2001 Fulham Street
Roseville, MN 55113
Any University of Minnesota retiree who has been on the Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis knows about the shiny building on Washington Avenue that might blind you as you drive from the West Bank to the East Bank. The Weisman Art Museum (WAM) is renowned for its Frank Gehry architecture, but what do you know about what goes on within those irregularly shaped walls?
UMRA’s April 28 luncheon forum will feature WAM Director Alejandra Peña Gutiérrez. She joined the Weisman in November 2021 and was hired for her work in community. The tensions from the COVID-19 pandemic and the death of George Floyd were significant community factors as Peña Gutiérrez began her leadership. More recently, pushbacks on work related to diversity and equity have further challenged WAM as it incorporates community into its mission.
One example is the repatriation of thousands of Mimbres cultural belongings that came to the University following excavations in southern New Mexico conducted by U of M faculty and students from 1928 to 1931. WAM obtained a grant of nearly $240,000 to support a Truth and Reconciliation project that is informed, in part, by this ongoing repatriation process, and includes an indigenous-led advisory board. The goal is to foster deeper trust and rebuild relationships while working toward decolonization of museum practice.
A unique space in the cultural landscape
In a November 2022 news release about the grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services, Director Peña Gutiérrez said, “University art museums like WAM occupy a unique space in the cultural landscape, situated simultaneously in the worlds of the arts and the academy. If we are to remain relevant as cultural institutions, we have a duty to develop practices that position museums as intentional actors in society, whose agency extends well beyond the museum walls, and even beyond the arts.”
Whether you did or didn’t know that WAM was much more than a pretty (or at least intriguing) collection of pictures on the wall, join us on April 24 to hear from Director Peña Gutiérrez. Her career started in Mexico City where she worked at various museums before she became director of the Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes and, later, deputy director general of the National Institute of Fine Arts. She moved to Puerto Rico to serve as the director of the Museo de Arte de Ponce from 2013 to 2021.
Peña Gutiérrez has been a member of the Association of Art Museum Directors since 2014. She was also an active board member of the U.S. National Committee for the International Council of Museums from 2018 to 2024. Since 2023, she has been a member of the Minnesota Women’s Economic Roundtable.
Go to the UMRA member portal to register and prepay (required) for this luncheon forum on Tuesday, April 28, at Midland Hills Country Club in Roseville. Reservations, payments, and cancellations (with refunds) are due April 18.
Please register and join us at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 28.
—Julie Sweitzer, UMRA Program Committee
Upcoming Events
UMRA’s Book Club I will discuss the historical fiction novel The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict when it meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, October 16.
Jon Christianson leads the hike in Nerstrand Big Woods State Park with (optional) lunch afterwards at The Ole Store Restaurant in Northfield.
The Vaccine Integrity Project at the UMN Centers for Infectious Disease Research and Prevention is working to ensure that vaccine use in the U.S. remains grounded in the best available evidence, and focused on protecting public health. Kevin Griffis, director of CIDRAP Media Relations and Public Affairs, will tell us about this work as the featured speaker for UMRA’s Living Well Workshop on Tuesday, October 20.
Gather with UMRA members in the Campus Club West Wing to share lunch and conversation. No agenda.
UMRA’s Fourth Friday Book Club (aka UMRA Book Club II) will discuss the Pulitzer Prize-winning debut novel by Jhumpa Lahiri when it meets at 2 p.m. on Friday, October 23, via Zoom. The nine short stories in the collection speak to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider.
Discuss long term care options with Fred Andersen.
Chris Coleman, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity president and CEO and a two time alumnus of the University of Minnesota, will provide a deep dive for UMRA’s October 27 luncheon forum into how Habitat creates, preserves, and promotes affordable homeownership for low-income households.
Join Leader Neal Gale for the November 2 hike in the heart of Minneapolis’ Minnehaha Falls – Mississippi River area.
Bob & Jean Hall and Andy Whitman, participants.
How much do the experiences of our earliest years shape who we become — and even our physical health — decades later? For more than 50 years, University of Minnesota researchers have been exploring that question through the Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Risk and Adaptation. In this UMRA Living Well Workshop, Professor Jeffry Simpson, PhD, will draw on findings from the study to explore the connections between our earliest relationships and our health later in life.
The theme for November is "Hands"
UMRA’s Cabinets of Curiosity tour will offer an insider's look into the important work happening at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center. We will enjoy a walking tour through patient exam rooms, student learning areas, and clinical/surgery suites, highlighting how faculty experts and student veterinarians collaborate to deliver life-saving care.
Gift planning strategies and ideas for impactful tax-efficient gifts to accomplish your goals.
Professor Kathryn Pearson, a well-known and respected specialist in U.S. politics and political behavior, will help us to decipher the results of the 2026 midterm elections as the guest speaker for UMRA’s November 2026 Luncheon Forum.
Gather with UMRA members in the Campus Club West Wing to share lunch and conversation. No agenda.
The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne by Chris Sweeney.
Consult with a tax professional to come up with a financial plan well before year end.
Join us as we navigate the trails at the Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge Education and Visitor Center.
The theme for December is "Pathways and roadways."