Emily Hanawalt brings passion for collections to Head Registrar role at National Hispanic Cultural Center

March 14th, 2023

Albuquerque, NM—The National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC) is excited to announce that Emily Hanawalt has become Head Registrar for the Center’s Visual Arts Museum. Emily’s time at the Center began late last year. 

“Having a registrar onboard to document, care for, and manage our unique collection of Hispanic and Latinx artwork is absolutely critical, particularly with four new exhibitions opening in 2023,” said Noël Bella Merriam, NHCC artistic director and co-interim executive director. “Emily brings numerous strengths and in-depth experience to this position that make her a valuable and essential member of our staff.” 

“As someone with a lifelong passion for collections, getting to oversee the NHCC’s portfolio of art on display in the Visual Arts gallery has been a dream come true for me,” Hanawalt said. “I’m thrilled to be part of the team!” 

As part of the Center’s Visual Arts staff, Hanawalt has a role in each of the Center’s art exhibition openings, including Nexo Entre Raíces / Nexus Between Roots, which opens in the Center’s Visual Arts Museum in April. Visit nhccnm.org/exhibitions to learn more about all the NHCC’s Visual Arts exhibitions. 

Collections has always been a special interest for Emily. She has been working within collections since high school and has over six years of collections management experience. Before moving to New Mexico from Indiana, Hanawalt worked for the Carmel-Clay Historical Society in Carmel, Indiana. Prior to that, she worked for organizations like the FBI Art Crime Team, the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site and The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. Emily has two dogs and two cats that are her world, and enjoys reading, visiting museums, and playing board games in her spare time. 

Visitors can explore the NHCC’s collection of Hispanic and Latina/o/e/x art by visiting the NHCC Visual Arts Museum, which is open Tuesday – Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

More about the National Hispanic Cultural Center The National Hispanic Cultural Center is dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and advancement of Hispanic culture, arts, and humanities. The NHCC presents mission-related events throughout the year, some produced by its history, literary, performing, and visual arts programs, and others by partnering with external organizations. Events take place at its 20-plus-acre campus, which includes a plaza, an art museum, a historically designated building, a library, and a genealogy center. The NHCC is a division of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs and is further supported by the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation.