St. Joseph Museums opening new Native American gallery wing
By Chris Fortune
A new wing in the St. Joseph Museums will allow visitors to learn more about the Iowa Tribe.
The St. Joseph Museums opened a Native American Gallery in August featuring a basket room and beadwork, but more is on the way. The final room of the new wing will serve as a replica of an Iowa Tribe Hut.
“We are working closely with the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska,” curator Max Morgan said. “We are hoping to display some of their items. And also, we are currently working with a representative of the tribe who is going to be telling us some folklore and stories.”
The final room is in the middle of construction and is set to open this fall. It will provide an immersive experience with dim lighting and a replica fire pit.
Morgan led the buildout of the Native American Gallery, which took more than a year to complete. Constant communication was required to be compliant with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.
“NAGPRA laws have recently changed, which is the rules by which museums and other institutions deal with Native American objects,” he said. “So we’ve had to go back and reexamine how we’re allowed to present that.”
Coordinator and archaeologist Tori Ziegler handles the communication between the St. Joseph Museums and the tribes whose work is displayed to make sure items in the collection are displayed correctly.
“We have one of the biggest basket collections in the world,” Morgan said. “And also, there’s just such a wide market for people who want to learn about Native American history.”
More than 1,000 visitors came through the St. Joseph Museums on a free museum day recently.
“We have a room showcasing over 30 different cultures, just different artifacts, clothing, pottery,” Morgan said. “There’s just something for everyone here.”
