Dr. Bean was one of the college’s first faculty (1925 – 1952), director for the Education Department, director of the San Luis Arts and Crafts School, founder of the college's first club – the Outing Club, among other accomplishments.
Collections feature Pueblo pottery, including a black ware pot by Maria "Maria" Martinez, regional weavings by artists such as San Luis Valley native Eppie Archuleta, and 19th-century santos and retablos from northern New Mexico and south-central Colorado.
The Luther Bean Museum includes memorabilia of the former Colorado Governor and ASU’s founder William H. "Billy" Adams including his governor’s chair, family photos of his life in Alamosa, a collection of books from his private library, and his desk.
In addition to works by renown artists Woody Crumbo, Bill Moyers, and Allan Houser, a collection of paintings by Stephen Quiller rounds out the museum's holdings in American art.
Long-time supporters of Adams State, Mr. Charles and Mrs. Beryl Woodard donated their collections of Pueblo pottery, retablos, and, through their estate, antique furniture and decorative arts collected from around the world.
