Southwestern Mission Research Center
Committed to promoting and fostering education, research and preservation relating to the Spanish Borderlands for over 50 years
Welcome!
The Southwestern Mission Research Center is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization. We’re committed to the cause of supporting Spanish Borderlands research and education. Our Kino Missions tours introduce people to the history and culture of the Pimería Alta, in the Sonoran Desert of Mexico and Arizona. Proceeds from these tours enable us to sponsor important scholarship on a broader level, assist with publications, and promote education. Furthermore we engage in cooperative restoration projects with the mission communities.
Explore our website to learn more about Spanish colonial missions. Most of all you will find out about the work of the Southwestern Mission Research Center.
Upcoming SMRC Mission Tours
Retrace the steps of Father Kino and the missionaries who followed him. You’ll be guided by scholars and enthusiasts who know and love the region. Most noteworthy they volunteer their time to share their knowledge of the Spanish borderlands missions with others.
In the News…
Zoom Presentation – “Cobre Sagrado: Studying the Sacred Copper on the Borderlands of New Spain”
Spanish colonial era terrestrial and shipwreck sites have been studied by archaeologists and historians for a century. Books and journal articles are full of artifacts made of ceramic, iron, and wood but those made of copper or copper alloys have been largely ignored....
read moreSICRAT 2021 Virtual Seminars May 27-June 24, 2021
The NPS Vanishing Treasures Program, in partnership with University of Arizona, University of New Mexico and Cornerstones Community Partnerships, is pleased to announce SICRAT 2021, a series of virtual seminars on critical topics in the conservation of earthen...
read moreArrest Made in Mission San Gabriel Fire
UPDATE: After an eight-month investigation, authorities recently announced that an arrest has been made following the July 11, 2020 fire at Mission San Gabriel in California. The suspect has been charged with four felony counts including two arson related. Shock waves...
read moreRead our previous entries
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SMRC REVISTA
Highlights recent news and events, feature articles, and notes on recently published books and articles pertaining to the Spanish Borderlands.