Museum-a-Month: February

In February, I took a trip down to D.C. to see the new Americans exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Some of my friends had shared their experiences on social, so I thought I knew what to expect. It was that and more.

Upon entering the exhibit space, my immediate instinct was to read everything on the walls and digital screens that cover the grand foyer. It’s overwhelming — and understandably so. The exhibit seeks to show just how Native Americans have been portrayed throughout history and how their history has been exploited. Entering the different exhibition spaces built upon the initial narrative developed from this first impression.

Each room within the space presents a different misconception about Native American history. The direct nature of the statements spoke to my straight-shooting-soul — and it’s about time the truth was stated about these historical narratives. From Pocahontas to Little Big Horn to the Trail of Tears, the record is set straight on some of the biggest moments within the common American perception of Native American history. Additionally, I appreciated that the exhibit could be explored in a non-linear pattern. I bopped around from room to room and was captivated by each statement and the explanatory details therein.

Within the spaces, I was particularly drawn to timelines depicting how the implicit and explicit historical importance of events changed over time. I’ve always been drawn to timelines in museums, but these had a twist that I hadn’t seen before.

They seem like your standard, modernized, eye-catching rendering of a historical stalwart. However, I was struck by what I found at the end of the line.

Each timeline ended with a video screen containing recent social transgressions and appropriations of Native American culture. What an ingenious use of technology. The curators and exhibit designers obviously realized that the story doesn’t end when the exhibit opens — unfortunately these acts of cultural insensitivity and ignorance are ever present within our society. The story isn’t over, it continues. From the visitor perspective, the impact is two-fold: the information is current and makes one think about the present narrative as well as the past.

I will always be drawn to the application of technology (hence my fascination with the use of the screens….) within museums, but throughout grad school my eyes were opened to all modes of interactivity. So, when I reached the last room within this exhibit, I was pleased to see multiple ways to engage further with the information presented and share personal stories related to said content.

There are multiple ways to share thoughts and experiences both within the exhibit and online using the tag #NDNsEverywhere. Some postcards are shared within the gallery, alongside streaming video of personal experiences shared by Native Americans.

I am fortunate to live very close to D.C., but if you don’t, this exhibit also has a fantastic website to accompany it. You can dive into the major themes and take a detailed look at many items displayed throughout the space. It has a similarly immersive feeling and allows you to explore the content of the exhibit at your own pace.

I was expecting to be impressed by this exhibit, but it really blew those expectations out of the water. I questioned a lot of what I learned in grade school, and even college, while simultaneously learning new things about Native American history — and even the origin of things I thought I knew…like the root of the word “stereotype.”

I highly recommend interacting with this exhibit in some way, whether it be in person, online or on social. I learned a lot, questioned my own historical biases and thoroughly enjoyed the presentation of the information. The exhibit is insightful, powerful and allows for visitors to engage with anything and everything they find compelling. It’s a small start in righting the commonly held misconceptions that have plagued our collective history for far too long.

If you need me, I’ll be re-reading the books from my college survey course on Native American history…I know I still have a lot to learn.