Longhouse Exhibit to Open Soon

The Longhouse Exhibit was a cooperative effort between the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe and the MAC. The idea came to me when I visited the Royal British Columbia Museum. At that time a large wall separated the Mastodon from the rest of the history exhibit area, and I always wanted to put the facade of a longhouse on the wall. However, it was not to be until the 2009 Remodel, when all the phony walls were removed to install new flooring, and the perimeter displays were still images on my laptop. At that time, I envisioned a Jamestown exhibit on the wall that now holds the longhouse, but it wasn't until I was talking to Rocky Fankhouser about always wanting a longhouse that the idea became a possibility. The idea took further root when the volunteer crew of Rocky, John Majors, Mike Vollenweider, and Larry Wing came up with the idea of converting the former Museum Store Stockroom into the interior of the longhouse, thus expanding the display space and giving depth to the exhibit. 

I did some preliminary sketches, and with the 3-D scale model of the Exhibit Center, we asked Vickie Carroll, the Jamestown Cultural Coordinator, if we could present our ideas at a Tribal Council Meeting. We were very pleased that the Tribal Council approved the exhibit and plans were made to obtain cedar for the siding, and a woven material for the interior. The work was done by the crew and it resulted in an exceptional exhibit.

Vickie Carroll, Lyn Fiveash, Priscilla Hudson, and I worked on the exhibit layout. Vickie chose items to be exhibited, and Rocky fabricated special risers and a plexiglass case to protect the artifacts.

We look forward to a Blessing Ceremony on May 25, 2010.

Premiere: Cruisin' the Fossil Freeway

This was really one of the highlights for me EVER! Being a Ray Troll fan for many years now it was great to attend the opening of this national traveling exhibit last night at the Burke Museum in Seattle. I can't think of anyone I would rather have seen, sorry Picasso.

Another highlight was having the esteemed company of Clare Manis for the trip across the pond to Seattle. Clare has been involved with the museum since its inception, and it is due to her generosity that the MAC has the Manis Mastodon specimens and the video production.

Of all the exhibits at MAC, the mastodon is the favorite. Over 700 people have visited the new Manis Mastodon website page since April 2009.

Don't miss this awesome exhibit, it is great for kids, too. The new Teaching Evolution Room that adjoins the exhibit is first rate. There are even new fossil dolphin skulls on exhibit--many of the items in the exhibit have never before been on exhibit. Be sure to notice that MAC is linked on the Burke Museum page. Here is the link to the exhibit...

http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/exhibits/current.php

History Resource Room opens January 2010... More