"The Spirit of Sharing: Is Social Media Changing Museums?"

From the New York Times last month--an article by Carol Vogel on how museums are building a presence online.  Museum websites are offering much more than visitor information on operating hours and ticket prices.  The websites themselves offer participatory experiences and chances to submit feedback on collections and operations.  For example, "At the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Web users can track its endowment, its membership, the number of visitors it had that day and even how much energy it is using," and "The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Web site has a new attraction called “Connections,”where behind-the-scene staff members — including an educator and a media producer — talk about their favorite works in the collection. “It’s a balance between personal and scholarly voices,” said Erin Coburn, the chief officer of digital media at the Met." 

National Museum of the American Indian--National Mall

The National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., is another fairly new addition to the National Mall, having opened in 2004.  The entrance to the museum is stunning--a round atrium with seating, an invitation to sit and reflect.  The museum is billed as the only national museum dedicated to Native American culture.  One of the goals of the museum seems to be to dispel old misconceptions about a generic "Indian;" the man exhibit hall provides an almost overwhelming  array of exhibits for different nations.  Each exhibit has an entryway into an enclosed pathway and features art, history, artifacts, and current images.  As noteworthy as this attempt is, I'll have to say that after following the first few paths, the differences blurred; certainly, I retained the awareness of distinct cultures, but the particulars were lost.

Exhibit hall

At the center of this room, interactive and audio/visual exhibits told stories of various religions and creation myths. These exhibits will hold the interest of school-aged children more than the pathway/still exhibits.

The museum makes its mission transparent; text throughout the exhibits and in other printed material points out the need to bring the Native American voice to the forefront in displaying Native stories.  Edward Rothstein, reviewing the opening of the museum in 2004, notes

the museum will advocate not just for artifacts but also for the living cultures that once created them. Most museums invoke the past to give shape to the present; here the interests of the present will be used to shape the past. And that makes all the difference.  . . . Indians would tell their own stories; no outside anthropologists would intrude. The objects would even be available for ritual tribal use.

 Rothstein, however, goes on to lament the complete dismissal of scholarship and interpretation.  A more rigorous attention to academic details might, indeed, make for a more visitor-friendly organization and differentiation between the hundreds of tribal nations represented.

Creation Mural

 The museum also displays contemporary artwork throughout, and some of these provide quite striking focal points.  It was difficult to get a picture of the Creation Mural, as visitors invariably stopped and studied it as they passed.  Near the cafe, a modern weaving project featuring the jerseys of NBA greats Bryant and Iverson also piqued interest.

From "Song for the Horse Nation" exhibit

     The museum features two theaters, the Rasmusen and the Lelawi, with scheduled productions.  We did not have the chance to attend the Rasmusen, but we did make it to the show at the Lelawi, which was set up to simulate a small outdoor theater.  We watched a film that covered some of the background of the museum's philosophy on displaying and celebrating the Native American cultures.

 The museum's restaurant, the Mitsitam Cafe,  proved to be another key attraction.  Set up food-court style, the cafe's stations serve foods indigenous to several different areas and tribes; unless you've already made a point of researching Native American menus, you are certain to find something here that you've never tried before, and the food was quite good.  You'll definitely want to time your visit so that you can enjoy a meal here.

The gift shops continue the emphasis on contemporary craft and education; you'll find t-shirts and caps, but the stock is weighted toward more artisanal objects, such as pottery and jewelry.  For children, the Roanoke shop offers books and educational toys.

 So, like all large museums, this one requires time and perhaps some focus.  Choose areas or topics that you or your children are particularly interested in, and spend time on these exhibits.  Try dividing your time at the museum with a lunch break and some time in the quiet area of the atrium, so you'll be refreshed as you make your way through the busier exhibits.

Huichol Art on Wheels exhibit

From the museum website:

Fourth Street & Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20560
202-633-1000

HOURS10 AM–5:30 PM daily; closed December 25. (Exhibition spaces, café, and stores begin closing at 5:15 PM)
ADMISSION Admission is free, and the building is fully accessible.