A tour through St. Mary's in the Mountains is to relive and revive the evolution of spirituality and culture in the American West.

Not only are the paintings, antiques and precious metal artifacts reflective of the "richest city in the world" and the "most valuable deposit of silver ever found on any continent in history," but they "sing" of the personalities and spirituality of personalities that forged this great land of ours.

April 18, 1977, Pope John Paul II was quoted as saying "The Church's age-old concern for the promotion of the arts and a sound humanistic culture is closely linked to her universal spiritual mission. She is convinced that beauty, particularly the beauty which is the fruit of human artistic creativity, is a clear expression of mankind's highest aspirations and a manifestation of the glory of God, the transcendent Author of all truth and goodness."

The collections of the Virginia City Mountain Museum represents the Church's immense contribution to our cultural heritage, but also, and more importantly, they manifest the inspiration of which the Gospel continues to offer to contemporary artists and to all who see in their works a reflection of that divine beauty which is "ever ancient and ever new." (St. Augustine, Confessions, X, 27).

Dear friends, your patronage enables the St. Mary's in the Mountain's Museum to offer a unique witness to these spiritual values as it opens its doors each day to visitors from widely differing backgrounds and from every part of the world. With deep appreciation for your effort to further the work of the Museum, we cordially invoke upon you and your families God's blessings of joy and peace.