A country, a region, a belief, people will proud of the truth will always stand the test of time.

Over the weekend, I took the time to explore two museums. The first museum I visited was the D.I.A , also known as the Detroit Institute of Arts. The D.I.A was a very beautiful, multicultural, and unique place. I also took the time to visit and explore the Charles H. Wright Museum of Detroit. Luckily, these museums weren’t too far from each other they were roughly 5-7 minutes apart. The Charles H. Wright Museum was also very beautiful, it was more appealing to me because it is a museum that exhibits and highlights the history of the African American culture. The Charles H. Wright museum also happens to be the largest African American museum in the world.

Quoted by Handler and Gable, critic Ada Louise Huxtable declares the newly constructed reproduction of Colonial Williamsburg as “too clean,” arguing that it “does not include the filth and stench that would have been commonplace.” (Source E) This sanitation of the truth completely misrepresents history, and the educational value greatly suffers. Conversely, the National Museum of the American Indian hopes to avoid this lack of judgment by dedicating itself to the “preservation, study, and exhibition of the life, languages, literature, history, and Arts of Native Americans.” (Source C) The main goal of the museum is to “span all major cultural areas” (C) and educate the public about and preserve the rich history of such a vast culture. The authenticity and significance of artifacts are important to representing culture and history, and the ability of these artifacts to educate should be a key factor of the selection process.

The fascination with Native Americans has been a constant with outsiders since explorers first “discovered” the New World. The biggest surge in this fascination came in the mid-19th century when the Indian Wars were starting to come to an end and the belief that Native Americans were disappearing, walking into the sunset never to be seen again. This led to an increase in the collecting of anything Native American, from artifacts to stories to portraits. The inevitable outcome of this was that Native Americans, who were never considered very highly to begin with, where now moved into a category of scientific interest to be study. This scientific interest in Native Americans is what many museums and other institutions based their collections and exhibits on and is one of the issues that many Native Americans have with how both their people and their culture were, and to some extent still are, represented in these places.

For Source C, the structure of the National Museum of the American Indian was analyzed. This museum is composed of “three facilities.” The

I really enjoyed visiting this museum, I learned a lot about African American old lifestyle. Some of the art pieces show the African American social struggle past, honoring important Africans, music, poetry, writing, history, and inventions. The African American museum has 5 exhibit— The African American Journey West, Reflections on the Self, Rhythm of Vision: The Artistry of Overton Loyd, Oh Snap! West Coast Hip Hop, and Evolution of the Revolution. Although the museum was not really much focus on African American lifestyle, it was still interesting, because 2 exhibits are based on how now days they are able to express

In the early 1990’s the Smithsonian Institution and its National Museum of the American Indian committed to the returning of human remains, burial artifacts, sacred objects, and other articles of cultural patrimony to Indian tribes. (“IROQUOIS CONFEDERACY”). Moreover, members are active in court cases involving land claims. Dating back to a treaty during George Washington’s administration, the Indian Nations and all members of the Iroquois confederation, have demanded the return of vast swaths of land, which is back up by the federal government. Chen

I hope to see museums make more concerted efforts to educate the public. Too many exhibits are of the “passive, didactic looking” than like the engaging Object Stories program (Dartt, Murawski). Exhibits should seek to tell untold narratives, and programs should be places of communication and cross-cultural encounters. For too long, difficult confrontations have been avoided, both inside the museum, and by dominant communities

Upon arrival, I was informed that the museum is divided by Tribes and the regions in which each tribe was located. The museum is divided into Alaska/Canada, Northwest Coast, Southwest, Plains, and Woodlands. The reason I think it is divided this way is so that every person who visits has the ability to learn about each region of tribes separately. It is easy to make assumptions that Native Americans were all the same, but the truth is that they were all unique. Each tribe has their own customs, clothing, food, and ways of life. Another captivating aspect of the museum are their display cases, filled with pottery and artifacts of each tribe.

Until I visited the museum, I never knew how the Native Americans lived, why they became the minority in the history of U.S. However, by listening Kandra’s explanation, I tuned in to the reason. Above all, I was impressed with their flags. frankly, I judged their culture level to backward, but it’s my misunderstanding. They already had

A museum is the best place to find historical, artistic and scientific objects exhibited for the public. Washington DC offers to his public a lot of museum especially the African American museum. It is particular first because of the attraction from distance of his unique beautiful design and huge size of the building. Also, it was recently opened and it is located in the National Mall and close to different monuments. It includes several exhibitions and the dress of ROSA PARK sewn by her captivated my attention.

Visiting the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian was a great experience. At first walking into the museum we found there to be many artifacts and examples of the Indians used in their daily lives. Walking around the museum it was nice to see all the items we spoke and read about in class. My first impressions were that the museum would be born but seeing and reading about something is very different and being able to capture the real beauty of Indian lives was a great experience.

Interestingly, the building is similar to a tepee in that there was a small window on the top of the rounded celling. Even the elevator was spacious and adorned with tribal symbols. Therefore, before one even enters the exhibit, it is clear that the narrative is one that celebrates culture. Even Atalay, a Native American author recognizes that “… the NMAI aims to ‘recognize and affirm’… Native cultures… and [advance] knowledge and understanding of those cultures” (Atalay 600). Thus creating a sharp contrast from that of the Holocaust. Despite the hardships and the genocide which befell the Native Americans, this museum has a different narrative to preserve, one rich with culture, rather than brutality. The differences displayed in architecture and design help effectively deliver each narrative because they visually and psychologically affect each visitor, adding a deeper layer to the story, effectively conveying each

he National Museum of the American Indian-New York, established in 1916 by George Gustav Heye, is also known as the George Gustav Heye Center and is part of the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum complex. The museum is located in the Alexander Hamilton U.S Custom House, and is one of the three sites that make up the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). Its galleries present iconic objects selected for their aesthetic quality and power as emblems of Native beliefs, objects associated with prominent Indians that offer perspectives on their place in history, and objects that tell stories of cultural encounter among Native peoples and between Indians and non-Indians. From the oldest pieces on view-stone points found in

Museums serve as a way to connect with the public on a large scale, and the knowledge held within exhibits can be a fruitful experience for those who choose to visit these institutions. Experiencing all that a museum has to offer, no matter how well intentioned, can at times be confusing and overwhelming to the individuals visiting the site. The Smithsonian’s Museum of the American Indian dedicates itself to Native Americans in North and South America, and worked tirelessly with varying tribes to create a new standard. Some visitors and scholars found their work to be successful in design and approach while others found it to be lacking in execution. This institution does not approach Native American history in a familiar fashion; however it does cover an expansive period of time, and produces a great amount of detail while generating powerful emotions.

The Smithsonian is known for its realization and absolute beauty shown in the exhibits. Every exhibit of this museum has great detail and precision. Not only was each exhibit filled with things of its nature, but also had the right colors to make you feel the exhibit. For example, the vibes flowing from the ocean hall were incredible. The way they accomplished the feel of actually being in the ocean was a surreal experience to even see through the screen. I also liked the way that everything was pretty close to life scale, like the huge whale hanging from the