Spend a Saturday at the museum
Cache Valley residents don’t need to ask if there’s going to be an activity at the Museum of Anthropology at Utah State – it’s a given. Residents only need to ask what they are going to be able to learn, said Mary Kay Gabriel, museum curator.
The museum has been sponsoring presentations and workshops by visiting scholars, professors and students for Saturday activities since the summer of 2007, Gabriel said. The activities have been funded through outside donors, such as the Utah Humanities Council when the program first began, and later the Office of Museum Services.
“It offers the Cache Valley residents an opportunity to learn about the many diverse cultures of the world without leaving their own town,” Gabriel said. “It’s a great way to get interesting and accurate information.”
Holly Andrew, museum employee, said the Saturday programs focus on the residents and focus on the family. They provide a variety of programs, some for children, some for adults and some for all ages, she said.
“The program is to reach out to the community and help them understand what anthropology is,” Andrew said.
While attendance to the activities varies every Saturday, there are about 30 to 60 people on an average Saturday and as many as 90 people have come to the programs, Gabriel said.
“We have more than doubled attendance to the museum since we opened the doors on Saturdays,” Gabriel said.
There is also a focus on continuing these programs through summer, to attract the summer residents and the community, Gabriel said. There are fliers posted around town in local businesses, all over campus and are distributed through all of the local elementary schools, she said.
Programs in the past have featured cultural aspects of world religions, development of holidays through cultural transition, archeological sites such as Chaco Canyon, dance and storytelling from diverse cultures, to name only a few. Presentations have been given by visiting scholar John Kantner, the International Student Center, the Islamic Center of Logan, the LDS Institute along with many other clubs and organizations in the region, Gabriel said.
Andrew said the program focuses on education on anthropologic topics. Anthropology is the study of people throughout time, not just in the past, but also current trends, she said.
Gabriel said the museum is applying for a grant from the Institute of Museum Library Services that would fund the Saturday program for an additional two years, and would allow for a broader range of speakers and presenters.
“We anticipate the program expanding with even more visiting scholars, regional performers and subject matter experts in the future,” Gabriel said.
Gabriel said the program is run entirely by students.
“The Saturday planning team is made up of students who are earning a certificate in museum studies, through the anthropology department,” she said. “This educational programming experience gives them real-life museum experience – something that looks great on a resume and earns them credit towards their certificate. Many of our certificate graduates are employed in museums and cultural centers across the U.S.”
–seth.bracken@aggiemail.usu.edu