Beyond Field Trips: Partnerships Between Schools and Tribal Museums

This study emerged from a desire to understand how schools and tribal museums collaborate with one another to increase access to tribal museums for K-12 students. For this project, I had the opportunity to work with the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Sky City Cultural Center & Haak’u Museum, and the A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center to further understand each institution’s educational programming and partnerships. The question examined was, how do schools and tribal museums collaborate with one another to increase access to tribal museums for K-12 students? Interviews were conducted with staff members to discuss the work of these institutions, specifically their educational outreach. These interviews gathered insight from the participants regarding their work, which suggested six ways in which the participating tribal museums operate and conduct educational program and outreach. The themes revealed were: (a) Indigenous identity matters, (b) work as responsibility, (c) stewardship of knowledge, (d) educational programming and outreach, (e) engagement with schools, and (f) the future of tribal museums. From their museum exhibits to restaurants, these institutions are multifaceted resources for all that engage with them. To support the work of tribal museums, it is essential that schools continue collaborating with these institutions to expand learners’ knowledge and access to educational institutions. As tribal museums look to the future, more support needs to be provided to Indigenous peoples to enter the museum field whether it is through professional development or academic programs. While this project cannot fully encapsulate the variety of experiences of Indigenous peoples in the United States and the work of tribal museums, it offers a glimpse into the educational programming at tribal museums and the partnerships that stem from this programming to understand how schools and tribal museums work together