The Los Altos History Museum announced its participation in “Museums Helping Museums: A National Relief Effort for the Gulf Region.”

The museum’s board challenged the museum’s membership to meet or exceed the board’s donation of $1,000 to the Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC), the regional non-profit museum association and a major coordinator in museum recovery and conservation efforts in the aftermath of recent hurricanes.

The Los Altos History Museum joined with others in the museum community to support restoration of damaged collections and bolster the educational, cultural and economic roles of museums.

“The generous donation of the museum’s board to these conservation and recovery efforts shows support for more than our own museum,” said Los Altos History Museum collections and exhibits manager Allyn Feldman. “It reflects our vision of the importance of community and a community’s cultural resources. Our members can now meet the challenge, and know that their contributions will go directly to affected institutions.”

Communities along the Gulf Coast suffered natural and cultural losses. Some museums were destroyed, and many others experienced damage to or loss of collections. Fellow museums want to help reconstruct and stabilize those collections and provide support until their communities can be rebuilt and financial support systems re-established.

Make checks payable to the Los Altos History Museum and send to LAHM, c/o Allyn Feldman, 51 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos 94022.

All funds collected will go to an assistance fund established by SEMC. Funds will be used for direct assistance to museums and museum professionals in the affected regions. Assistance will be available to museums of all types, including art, history, science, children’s, zoos and aquaria, and gardens.

To view a list of participating museums, visit www.aam-us.org. For further information, call 948-9427, fax 559-0268 or visit www.losaltoshistory.org.