The Guam Museum was housed in the Garden House

From 1954-1992, the Guam Museum was housed in the Garden House in the Plaza de Espåña in our island’s capital Hagåtña. Tens of thousands of Guam school children were brought to this location at the time to view its collection of artifacts from the lives of Chamorus across centuries of time, before and after colonization. One familiar figure from this time was Thelma Glenn, who is standing behind the children in the corner.

At the time of its opening in 1954, the Guam Museum was run by volunteers from civic groups such as the Guam Women’s Club and the Guam Historical Club. Thelma Glenn was a member of the Guam’s Women Club and an initial volunteer, who was later hired as a full-time museum attendant. She worked there from 1957 until her retirement in 1976.