FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 31, 2023
MEDIA CONTACT:
Madeline Anderson
414-278-2784
andersonm@mpm.edu
MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM OFFERS FREE ADMISSION FOR WIS. TRIBAL MEMBERS, SPECIAL PROGRAMMING IN HONOR OF NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
Presented by Potawatomi Casino Hotel; November 1-30
MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM) is partnering with Potawatomi Casino Hotel to celebrate Native American Heritage Month (NAHM) throughout November by offering special programming about the traditions and contributions of Native Americans, as well as free Museum admission for Wisconsin tribal members.
“Given the vast Native American collection we care for and our continued collaborative work with tribal nations across the state, it is important MPM highlights Native American heritage in November and all year long,” said MPM President & CEO Dr. Ellen Censky. “Thanks to generous support from Potawatomi Casino Hotel, we hope these events and promotions increase awareness and understanding about Native Americans’ diverse experiences—both past and present—and honor the many ways Native peoples enrich our communities.”
Thursday, November 2
This Kohl’s Thank You Thursday (KTYT)—MPM’s free admission day for all—the following MPM staff and community presenters will be on the Museum’s Second Floor to discuss Native American history, artwork, foods and craftsmanship:
Dr. Aaron Atencio, Curator of Cultural Sciences, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
In the 1800s, Plains Indians documented their history by drawing pictures of daily life and events on ledger books that were introduced by European settlers. This form of record-keeping is known as ledger art. Dr. Aaron Atencio, MPM’s Research Curator of Cultural Sciences, will explain more about ledger drawings as a means of heritage, identity and cultural preservation. A limited number of ledger art reprints from MPM’s collections will be available for those wishing to take some home on a first-come, first-served basis.
Jesus Avila, Designer, Creator, & Artist, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Local artist Jesus Avila will display and discuss his mural, We the People, All the Nations. This piece of artwork honors the depth and history of Native people across the the U.S.
MPM Educators, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.*
MPM Educators will engage visitors in interactive learning opportunities about a variety of topics related to Native American heritage, including: the versatility and craftsmanship of birchbark canoes; the environmental threats impacting manoomin, or wild rice, and efforts underway to preserve the crop; and the ways Oneida white corn is used in traditional dishes as well as its continued importance to the Oneida people.
*Educators will be offering these same presentations throughout the month.
Thursday, November 9, 6:30-8 p.m.
MPM’s Anthropology Curator Dawn Scher Thomae will give a free virtual lecture titled “Returning to the People: How MPM Works with Indigenous Groups to Bring Their History and Ancestors Home.” Her talk will focus on the federal law, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), and its impact on how museums like MPM collect, interpret and care for Native American items. Register for the lecture at mpm.edu/events-programs.
Saturdays in November, 11 a.m.
MPM docents will be giving tours every Saturday in November that explore Indigenous foods of North America, many of which are staples in our home today. The tour meets in front of the Second Floor elevator lobby.
While NAHM is a great opportunity to uplift Indigenous voices and traditions each November, MPM encourages community members to champion Native American heritage year-round. They can do this by exploring the Museum’s permanent Native American exhibits, such as A Tribute to Survival, Native Games and Southwest, as well as by supporting treaty rights and tribal government, joining powwow celebrations and purchasing crafts made by Native American artists.
About the Milwaukee Public Museum
The Milwaukee Public Museum is Wisconsin’s natural history museum, welcoming over half a million visitors annually. Located in downtown Milwaukee, the Museum was chartered in 1882, opened to the public in 1884, and currently houses more than 4 million objects in its collections. MPM has three floors of exhibits that encompass life-size dioramas, walk-through villages, world cultures, dinosaurs, a rainforest, and a live butterfly garden, as well as the Daniel M. Soref Dome Theater & Planetarium. MPM is operated by Milwaukee Public Museum, Inc., a private, non-profit company, and its facilities and collections are held in trust and supported by Milwaukee County for the benefit of the public.
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