Opening the Africa Collection (April 26 - June 5, 2016)

This experimental exhibition features material culture from the Longyear Museum of Anthropology's African collection displayed in an "open storage" format to mimic the experience of visiting a museum collection facility, with student written interpretive panels that address the politics of collection and representation in museums. This is the first stage in the development of a collaborative project to rethink techniques of displaying and interpreting African material culture. The public is invited to look closely at the objects and enter into a conversation about how to create new, innovative exhibitions. This exhibition was conceived and created in collaboration with Mary H. Moran (professor of anthropology and Africana & Latin American studies), students in her spring 2016 course Introduction to African Studies, and student volunteers. On view April 26, 2016 - June 5, 2016.