The Burke Museum Blog

1,000 Sugar Skulls Made for Dia de Muertos

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:38:00 +0000

What can you find when walking through the hallways of the Burke Museum? Many exciting and interesting projects! Community involvement is a very important part of our work here at the Burke, and last week many dedicated staff, students and volunteers came together to create 1,000 sugar skulls for the Burke’s table at the Dia de Muertos Festál at Seattle Center last weekend. Isaac Hernández Ruiz led the group through the sticky process, as sugar and meringue were mixed and molded to make the skulls.

Burke educators then took the skulls to the Dia de Muertos: a Mexican Remembrance event at the Seattle Center where hundreds of people decorated the skulls to take home. Celebrating life through death, Dia de Muertos or “Day of the Dead” honors loved ones who have passed away through community alters, dancing, music and much more. The sugar skulls were accompanied by Mexican heritage performances and crafts at the Seattle Center House.

Learn more about Dia de Muertos on the Burke’s special interactive educational Web site all about the holiday.

Photos: The creative process of making sugar skulls for the event.
Posted By: Andrea Barber, Communications

Tribal leaders to meet with Obama for summit

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:28:00 +0000

On Nov. 5, a number of Washington State tribal leaders will join other representatives of 562 federally recognized tribes from across the country who have been invited to meet with President Obama for the 1st Annual White House Tribal Nations Conference. The purpose of the conference is to facilitate interactive discussions between Obama Administration officials and tribal leaders in the areas of economic development and natural resources, public safety and housing, and education, health and labor. A schedule and a live video feed of the summit can be found here.

Just a few days ago, President Obama signed an official proclamation designating November 2009 as National Native American Heritage Month and November 27, 2009 as the first ever Native American Heritage Day. Obama’s proclamation called upon all Americans to “commemorate this month with appropriate programs and activities.” You can read the entire proclamation here.

I asked Deana Dartt-Newton, curator of Native American ethnology and a member of the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation, what she thought about the proclamation and tomorrow’s summit. Says Deana:

"Not only did Obama acknowledge Tribal concerns during his candidacy, but he's demonstrating in these first months as President, that he aims to prioritize the Nation to Nation relationship and address issues most important to Native people. Obama's October 30th official proclamation of November as Native American Heritage Month, and Nov. 27th as Native American Day might have been viewed as a token gesture, had he not already scheduled a Tribal Summit to hear from representatives from the 562 federally recognized Tribes this Thursday, Nov 5. For the first time in my life, I feel like the leadership of this country is listening to us."

If you’re looking for ways to observe Native American Heritage Month, the Seattle Convention and Visitor’s Bureau has put together a useful guide to Seattle’s Native American Heritage here. We also suggest visiting our current exhibit, on view through Nov. 29, Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition: Indigenous Voices Reply, or coming to hear Little Big Band, Swil Kanim, Gene Tagaban (pictured) and other First Native musicians at a lively concert on campus called Tribute to the Spirit on Nov. 20.

Posted by: Julia Swan, Communications

Why does Hollywood Love the Ice Age?

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:48:00 +0000

Why is the ice age such a popular topic for Hollywood? The ice age (or Pleistocene period, from 2.7 million years ago to 10,000 years ago) is a period of great interest to archaeologists because of the numerous watershed events in human evolution that occurred before the ice melted and the climate became more-or-less what it’s like today. For most parts of the world, the ice age is also the time of the classic cave-dwelling humans. Film-makers have also shown their enthusiasm for this lengthy and cool period of human history. Right from the earliest days of motion pictures, depicting human life during the ice age has been a favorite topic for films. For example, in 1914 the pioneering American director D. W. Griffith released the 33 minute silent film In Prehistoric Days and Charlie Chaplin released his 10 minute silent film His Prehistoric Past. In the following year, Willis O’Brien released one of the first ever stop-motion animated films, a six minute comedy called The Dinosaur and the Missing Link: a Prehistoric Tragedy.

Charlie Chaplin's His Prehistoric Past. To watch the rest of the film, click here.

Since these early days, cave men and women have been an almost constant feature in film. Notable more recent productions include Caveman (1981) starring The Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr, Quest for Fire (1981) including Ron Perlman and a special prehistoric language invented by Anthony Burgess, Clan of the Cave Bear (1986) based on the prehistoric fiction novel by Jean M. Auel, the animated Ice Age (2002) which recently had a third installment in the series released and a prehistoric-Woody-Allen-style comedy National Lampoon’s Homo erectus (2007).

As an archaeologist and teacher of a class that looks at archaeology in film, I often wonder why films are so frequently made about people in the ice age. Many details of these depictions are impressively accurate, such as clothing, stone artifact technology, social organization and subsidence. This is testimony to the both the dedication of the film-makers and the effectiveness of archaeologists’ efforts to communicate with the public. My thought about why the ice age is so popular in films is that through the depiction of cave people film-makers can explore ideas on contemporary cultural issues like technological change and racism that might be too confronting to directly depict. Watching the story of ice age people is like holding a mirror to ourselves at a safe distance, allowing for reflection on our contemporary human condition without the discomfort that sometimes interferes with more direct self-examination.

Willis O'Brien's film The Dinosaur and the Missing Link: a Prehistoric Tragedy. To view the rest of the film, click here.

Posted by: Dr. Ben Marwick, Assistant Professor, UW Department of Anthropology

Dr. Ben Marwick spoke at the Burke Museum’s Ice Age Archaeology event in his lecture Reel vs. Real: Prehistoric Archaeology and Ice Age Movies on Oct. 18.

Why sustainability? Why now?

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:05:00 +0000

This post is part of a Burke Museum Blog series called "Green Museum" that explores what sustainability means to the Burke Museum.

As a founding member of the Burke Sustainability Action Committee (BSAC), I was asked to answer the basic question, why did you join the committee?

Lots of reasons:

· To feel we’re making a difference
· To know we’re making a difference
· To work with people in the museum I don’t usually work with
· To learn about on-the-ground actions we can take – and then take them
· To have fun. (I’m still surprised by this: this is actually fun work!)

As the BSAC committee figures out signage for the museum to educate visitors about the resources being used around them (e.g. did you know that drinking water in Seattle began as snow or rain in the Cascade Mountains?) or a best practices document for staff (i.e. how should museum staff approach issues of transportation, waste management, or material selection to function as sustainably as possible?) and this has clearly been a learn-as-we-go, step-by-step process.

One of the BSAC's first projects was to create and install several signs around the museum, such as this one, that inspire visitors to think about their relationship with the natural world.

Fortunately, museums all over the world are embracing new opportunities to make their operations and programs environmentally friendly. One local source of inspiration for us has been the Seattle Art Museum and its SAM Goes Green program.

From local, organic catering to native plants in landscaping, SAM and other museums are making sure these public spaces speak on many levels about how to live and work sustainably. The Burke is part of the big picture, and we have things to be proud of. We also have a lot of thinking, talking, listening, planning, and actions ahead of us.

Let’s do this.

Posted by: Tim Stetter, Education

Dinosaurs at the Burke

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:11:00 +0000

Have a passion for dinosaurs? Then come to one of the many events the Burke Museum offers about these magnificent prehistoric creatures.

Our first event is Dinosaurs on Ice: Jurassic Dinosaurs from Antarctica, a lecture for those who are interested in an academic viewpoint of dinosaurs. On Thursday Nov. 12, 7 pm at the Burke Museum, the museum is honored to have Dr. William Hammer of Augustana College, Illinois speak at the event. What started as a trip to Antarctica in 1977 in search of fossilized vertebrates has blossomed into over 30 years of research and numerous expeditions. For more information on Dr. Hammer's lecture, click here.

Next is the premiere of Cruisin' the Fossil Freeway, on view from December 19 - May 31. Based on the book with the same title, artist Ray Troll and paleontologist Kirk Johnson have created a "road trip" through the American West exploring fossils and stories from the past. On opening day, Ray Troll and Kirk Johnson will give tours with Burke Curator of Vertebrates and Micropaleontology, Dr. Liz Nesbitt.

This spring the Burke has dinosaur events for those who like hands-on experience. March 6, come to Dino Day and meet experts from the Burke's paleontology department and learn some interesting facts about dinosaurs. Be sure to check the Burke Museum's website for upcoming information!

Burke Museum members have a special opportunity to explore the collections and meet Burke Staff at the Members' Behind the Scenes Night in April. If you have thought about becoming a member, we recommend supporting the Burke in order to take advantage of this wonderful benefit.

Allosaurus fragilis, on long-term display at the Burke Museum

From exhibits to lectures, the Burke Museum has many options for dinosaur fans of all ages and interests. Open the doors to the Burke and step into the past!
Posted By: Andrea Barber, Communications

Behind the scenes with Ray Troll

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:08:00 +0000

Ever painted a giant T-Rex onto a wall? I have! With expert instruction from celebrated Alaskan artist Ray Troll, a group of volunteers came together this week in a make-shift studio down in Magnuson Park to paint five large wall murals for the upcoming Burke exhibit Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway, featuring Troll’s latest work.

Troll has hunkered down in Seattle for the past two weeks to create these murals showcasing some of his favorite subjects: dinosaurs, killer pigs, hamburgers, and giant ammonites. The fantastical murals will ultimately hang in the gallery alongside dozens of actual fossils from the Burke’s own paleontology collections beginning December 19th --when the exhibit opens.

The Burke Museum is partnering with Ray Troll and Seattle-born paleontologist Kirk Johnson (who together wrote a book called Cruisin' the Fossil Freeway) to present this new exhibit exploring the abundance of fossils in our midst - and specifically in Washington State - and how fossils shed light on Earth’s past.

As you can see, Ray Troll’s recent “art happening” was both fun and productive:

Ray's team of friends and volunteers worked tirelessly to produce large mural reproductions, such as "Sleeping with the Ichthyosaurs"

Ray Troll grabs a paintbrush for some detail work on "Night of the Ammonites"

Once finished, these murals will hang in the Cruisin' the Fossil Freeway gallery alongside real fossils

P.S. - Mark your calendars for opening day of Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway Saturday, December 19, when Ray will be on hand to give tours of the exhibit.

Posted by: MaryAnn Barron Wagner, Communications

Q: What will you find at a natural history-themed pub quiz?

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:24:00 +0000

A: Over 70 intrepid quiz-takers, ready to prove their knowledge of the natural and cultural world!

Burke Museum Trivia Night is a brand new outreach program that started last Thursday at the College Inn Pub in the University District. We were treated to a hugely successful turnout of UW graduate students and others who came to test their knowledge of the natural and cultural world. Fifteen teams competed for prizes (drink vouchers from the Pub and museum passes from the Burke) and everyone seemed to have a really great time.

I’ve been excited to start this program for a while now, so it was really gratifying to see it come together so seamlessly. The idea came to me this summer as I was brainstorming creative ways to share the collective knowledge of the Burke Museum with people beyond the walls of the exhibit galleries. A regular pub quiz seemed like a good way to expose new audiences to the many, many subjects covered by our museum. I mean, who doesn’t love drinking beer with friends and showing off how much you know about random subjects?

I was lucky to receive instant support for the idea from the Burke’s director, along with generous financial support from the UW Graduate School . Then, I found the perfect venue for Burke Museum Trivia Night—the College Inn Pub. I liked the College Inn Pub because it’s close to campus, has a nice, laid-back atmosphere, and already attracts a lot of grad students who I thought might be interested in coming to a natural history-themed pub quiz.

The quiz consisted of 6 different rounds (the topics for each round will change each month) of 5 questions each plus a bonus round at half-time. All of the questions had to do with subjects that relate directly or indirectly to Burke collections, exhibits, or research. We also featured a picture ID round and a rock ID round, using images and objects from the Burke’s collections. Here are some sample questions from the first Burke Museum Trivia Night:

From the “Mount Saint Helens” round: In what year did Mt. St. Helens erupt?
From the “Antarctica” round: The United States operates three Antarctic bases devoted to research. Name 1 of those stations.
From the “Where in Washington” round: Where in Washington will you find a Washington city whose name means “place of many waters” in the Nez Perce language for its proximity to both the Columbia and Snake Rivers?
From the “Dinosaur Movies” round: Which dinosaur does NOT make an appearance in the first Jurassic Park movie? A: Stegosaurus B: Tyrannosaurus Rex C: Brachiosaurus D: Triceratops
From the “Holidays” round: Which Mexican holiday honors and remembers friends and family members who have passed away?

Think you know the answers to these questions and others like them? Then come to the next Burke Museum Trivia Night on November 5. If you miss that, we’ll be back on the first Thursday of every month.

Oh, and that's me, hosting the first Trivia Night, wearing a moose hat that one of the teams let me wear for the second half of the game. It never hurts to be cheesy!

Posted by: Julia Swan, Communications

Hands-on experience: the Burke Museum and Museology

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:59:00 +0000

The field of museology is undergoing exciting changes and facing new questions which challenge even the most skilled and experienced people in museums. Interdisciplinary skills, new technologies and debating the purpose of museological institutions are a few reasons why I have been anxiously awaiting the start of my graduate studies at the University of Washington’s Museology program.

My name is Andrea Barber and I am the new Outreach Assistant in the Burke Museum’s communications department. Continuing my education while gaining practical knowledge in a field that I am passionate about has been my main goal while applying to graduate schools, and I knew the moment I heard about the Museology department at the University of Washington that it was a perfect fit for me. While completing a Master of Arts, Museology students can get hands-on experience in museums by walking up one flight of stairs and stepping foot onto the Burke Museum’s floors. Internships are available in virtually every department, and there are even audience research courses that have a readily available visitor base at our fingertips.

The Burke Museum provides Museology students the opportunity to apply the knowledge they’re learning as it is being taught in the classroom while simultaneously participating in an environment that could potentially be a source of future employment. During the next two years, I, along with all other 32 members of my class, have the opportunity to explore my particular interests, form lasting connections with Burke Museum mentors and learn how to enhance my skills as part of a museum team. These experiences are invaluable, and I look forward to every minute of it.

Posted by: Andrea Barber, Communications

Photo: UW Museology student takes measurements for artifact catalog records in the Archaeology department

Introducing "Green Museum"

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0000

This post is part of a Burke Museum Blog series called "Green Museum" that explores what sustainability means to the Burke Museum.

Why is sustainability important to the Burke?

As a museum charged to preserve, study, and educate on issues relevant to the natural and cultural world, we have an opportunity and obligation to educate by example. Our mission is to create a better understanding of the world and our place in it. Therefore we are an institution where shared values of conservation, stewardship, and sustainability are showcased, not only in the exhibits we display, but also in the actions and everyday operations inside our walls.

From planning a LEED Platinum building, to shifting our newsletter online, to facilitating cultural collaborations between native peoples across the Pacific, the Burke Museum is making choices to positively and proactively impact the future of our world.

The “Green Museum” segment of this Blog is another such choice. Please share with us your ideas for insuring the future of the biosphere.

Posted by: Julie K. Stein, Executive Director

Indonesian and Samoan communities respond to earthquake tragedies

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:45:00 +0000

The Burke Museum is deeply saddened by the lives that were lost after two earthquakes and a tsunami struck Indonesia and Samoa this week. The museum wishes to express sympathy to all members of the Indonesia and Samoan communities, especially those people living in the Puget Sound who may have family or friends affected by these disasters.

International aid is being distributed to both nations. The following organizations are among those accepting contributions to the recovery efforts.

Donate to the Red Cross

Donate to AmeriCares

Donate to UNICEF

Donate to MercyCorps

New "walking fish" named for UW donor Maggie Walker

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:40:00 +0000

University of Washington alumnae, donor, and volunteer Margaret (Maggie) Walker will soon be honored with the naming of a newly discovered species of fish. The Burke Museum’s curator of fishes Ted Pietsch and his graduate student Rachel Arnold, are facilitating the naming process, which, it turns out, is no small feat! Why is that? According to Ted, “Once a new species of fish is discovered, a specialist has to describe and illustrate the specimen, prepare a manuscript and then submit the manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. The plant or animal cannot be officially declared to be new until the description is accepted for publication and this process might take six months to a year.” In other words, it’s a lot of work! So the Burke is happy to announce that this process has begun for the soon-to-be named “Maggie Walker fish.”

This new species actually suits the name it will soon receive, as this fish is known to “walk” along the bottom of the ocean, rather than swim. The newly discovered fish species is part of the family Antennariidae, commonly known as frogfishes. This family is unique in that they carry their clutch of eggs wrapped in their tail, until just before they hatch, when they drop them on the seafloor and 'miniature adults' hatch out.

The "Maggie Walker fish"

The “Maggie Walker fish” was recently discovered by UW Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences graduate student Rachel Arnold, who has collected both morphological and molecular (DNA) evidence to support her claim that this species is indeed new to science.

Why go to all this trouble to honor Maggie Walker? Maggie has been an active and passionate donor and volunteer for the UW for over 20 years and she visits campus several times a week to attend to her many volunteer commitments. Her interests and volunteer service extends beyond the University to other important causes and organizations. She and her family have traveled extensively throughout the world. They share a love of animals, art, nature, natural history, and being in the outdoors, which Maggie has expressed through her service to art, zoological, and environmental organizations throughout the Seattle-area.

Maggie Walker’s commitment to the University of Washington has benefited innumerable students, faculty, and community members. And now, her name will grace a newly discovered species of fish! Thanks Maggie!

Posted by: Nicole Robert, Communications

Story of a pole raising

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:15:00 +0000

On the afternoon of September 23, a crowd of at least 100 people crammed into the lobby of the UW Tower for a very special celebration. The festivities were surrounding the Burke Museum’s recently acquired totem pole, carved by well-known Tsimshian artist David Boxley, and we were proud and excited to raise the pole in the University of Washington Tower for those who pass through that building to enjoy.

There is a nice story behind how the Burke acquired this pole: in the late 1990s, Warren and Ellie Guntheroth (Warren is a physician at the UW) commissioned David Boxley to carve a pole for their home, partially in memorial to their Siberian Husky, Sasha. The pole was dedicated at the Guntheroth home in 1999. When Ellie passed away a few years ago, Warren decided the pole needed to be moved to a place where future generations could enjoy it, as he and his wife had, and generously donated the pole to the Burke Museum.

The pole, as it stood outside the Guntheroth's home:

As the pole had been standing outdoors for ten years, it required some touchup work by David before it could be reinstalled at the university:

Then, a rededication ceremony helped introduce the pole to its new home: the UW Tower lobby. The unveiling of the pole itself was very exciting and dramatic!

Following the unveiling, David and his friends in the Git-hoan (People of the Salmon) Dance Group treated the crowd to several dance numbers, many written by David himself.

Their performance was a great reminder of the living culture that thrives in Native communities, like the Tsimshian, today. In the words of David, “The traditions are ours, but there needs to be a witness.” Now, for as long as the pole remains in the UW Tower, all people who pass by it will be the witnesses to a beautiful work of art, and to one piece of the Tsimshian tradition.

The artist, David Boxley, speaks about his culture and his craft.

Bug Blast at the Burke: Sept. 20

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:14:00 +0000

Insects are always with us, but only once a year do you have the chance to celebrate the earth's most fascinating, numerous and important creatures like you will this Sunday (Sept. 20, 10 am - 4 pm) at Bug Blast. It's the 21st annual "Bug Day" event organized by Scarabs: The Bug Society and the 11th to be held at the Burke.

How do you celebrate insects? You could sing about them, after listening to one of the catchy concerts of "bug songs" by Seattle singers Nancy Stewart (11:30 AM, 2 PM) and John Ackerman (1PM). You could admire dazzling insect collections provided by private collectors and the Burke's invertebrate department, on display only this one day. You could marvel at the intricacy of tiny bugs through a microscope. You could see like an insect through special compound eye glasses. You could make your own "ugly bug" craft object. You could have your face painted like any insect you choose by skilled artists Nel and Clay. You could gaze, fascinated at the inner workings of a live, transparent honey bee hive, or other amazing live insects and spiders provided by Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle Bug Safari and Arachnimania. You could examine genuine fossil insects millions of years old, insect-eating plants living today, or even eat an insect yourself -- tasty fried mealworms and crickets will be available!

Kids, be sure to drag your parents along - even if they're squeamish. They might learn something. Entomology really is not just kid stuff; all ages will have a great time at Bug Blast!

Posted by: Rod Crawford, Arachnology

Burke by the Numbers

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:28:00 +0000

We just published our 08-09 Annual Report and it's chock full of fun facts and stats about everything the Burke accomplished over the past year.

To me, the most interesting page in the report is "Burke by the Numbers." In the last 12 months...

...109,000 people visited the museum, including 37,300 K-12 students and 18,000 UW students.

...7,500 questions were answered by Burke collections experts via phone or e-mail.

...869 people followed the Burke on Twitter.

...2,260 people held Burke memberships.

...156,700 people were served outside the walls of the Burke, through traveling exhibits, professional and community programs, and school outreach.

...2,808,357 people visited the Burke Museum Web site.

View the entire report here to read more about our collections, education programs, donors, volunteers, and public programs.

Coffee exhibit closes Labor Day

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:29:00 +0000

This week, Seattle Times staff artist, Gabriel Campanario posted a very unique and refreshing type of review of Coffee: The World in Your Cup -- in the form of a sketch. See his hand-drawn interpretation of the coffee exhibit at the Seattle Sketcher.

If you haven't yet seen Coffee: The World in Your Cup, get on over to the Burke this weekend, as the exhibit closes on September 7 (yes we are open on Labor Day!).

After leaving Seattle, the exhibit will begin it's national tour:

Oct 17, 2009 – Jan 10, 2010, World Forestry Center, Portland OR

February 13 – May 9, 2010, University of Northern Iowa Museums, Cedar Falls, IA

May 29 – Sept 19, 2010, Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, New Haven CT

Oct 9, 2010 – Jan 2, 2011, Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center, Buford GA

Jan 22 – April 17, 2011, Museum of the North, University of Alaska, Fairbanks AK

May 14 – August 7, 2011, Museum of Texas Tech University, Lubbock TX

Thank you to everyone who has suppported this exhibit in some way: over 35 different partners in the coffee industry, 14 partners from the UW campus, and thousands of visitors who have come to see this great exhibit. The Burke appreciates all of you very much!

The Enduring Power of Totem Poles

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:03:00 +0000

About a year ago, we launched a special Web site called The Enduring Power of Totem Poles. It has since won the 2009 CASE award for best Web site. Anyone who is interested in learning more about the history of totem poles ought to explore the site a bit. You might learn something about totem poles that you did not know, such as:

Totem poles, which are defined as free-standing columns with many figures, are not actually indigenous to Washington State. Even though totem pole imagery can be found all over the place in Seattle, it was the northern Northwest Coast groups (Nuu-Chah-Nulth, Kwakwaka’wakw, Tlingit, etc.) that carved totem poles, not the Coast Salish people surrounding the Puget Sound. It’s a common misconception that totem pole carving was practiced near present-day Seattle, but it is not historically or culturally accurate. The totem poles standing outside the Burke Museum are all replicas of poles from Canadian or Alaskan-based tribes.

Totem poles are not only historical objects; up and down the Northwest Coast, poles are being raised again in a spirit of cultural survival and revival.

The Burke Museum has been very active in the repatriation of poles and other clan treasures that were taken from communities along the Northwest Coast in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Enduring Power of Totem Poles tells the story of two of the Teikweidi clan’s houseposts, taken from the Tlingit village of Gaash (Cape Fox, AK) by an American railroad magnate in 1899 and donated to a young Burke Museum. In July 2001, along with four other North American museums, the Burke returned the posts and other clan treasures to the Tlingit people of Cape Fox and acknowledged the wrong that had been done. Two new houseposts were created for the Burke Museum by father and son, Nathan and Stephen Jackson, to replace the two posts that were repatriated and are now on display in the Pacific Voices exhibit.

For more fascinating stories about totem poles and the people who make them, visit the Enduring Power of Totem Poles site:

Posted by: Julia Swan, Communications

Photo: Replica of Tsimshian Memorial Pole, carved by Bill Holm in 1969, now standing in front of the Burke Museum

The Joy of Coffee in Greek and Turkish Life

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:45:00 +0000

If you've been coming to the University District for a while, chances are you've been to the Continental Restaurant and Pastry House, home to delicious Mediterranean food and friendly owners, the Lagos family.

This weekend, the penultimate weekend of free coffee tastings before the exhibit Coffee: The World in Your Cup closes, join the Lagos family in discovering the joy of coffee in Greek and Turkish life. Sample coffee made in the traditional methods of Greece and Turkey and get a personal look into the coffee culture of the Northern Mediterranean seaboard. The Lagos' will be at the Burke on Saturday, (8/22) from 11 am - 2 pm.

And if you can't make it on Saturday, come Sunday to sample organic, fair-trade, single origin coffees from around the world with Pangaea Organica.

Saber teeth, killer pigs, ancient fish, oh my!

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:16:00 +0000

Although it doesn't open for another four months, many of us here at the Burke are already quite busy preparing for the next major exhibition, Cruisin' the Fossil Freeway. Read all about the exhibition, which combines whimsical artwork by Ray Troll with real fossils from the Burke's collection to answer (and ask!) questions about evolution, extinction, and geologic time.

I'm quite excited about the fact that several of the fossil specimens that will be on display in this exhibit have never before been exhibited to the public. Some of these fossils are among the best in our entire paleontology collection! For example:

Hoplophoneus, an Oligocene-era saber-toothed cat

Entelodont, an omnivorous pig-like mammal, also from the Oligocene

Many ancient fish, like this one, millions of years old

I realize its not every job that requires you to set up a fossil photo shoot, but really, it was just another day at the natural history museum!

Posted by: Julia Swan, Communications

Pacific Voices Valued Objects: Coast Salish Voyaging Canoe

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:48:00 +0000

Local resident Peg Dream, a member of the Coast Salish Tribe, contributed to both the development of the Pacific Voices exhibit at the Burke Museum and the creation of the accompanying book featuring personally significant cultural objects from communities of the Pacific. Peg Dream chose the voyaging canoe as the object that represents the richness of Coast Salish culture for her.

This is a photo of a Coast Salish canoe model from the Burke’s Ethnology Collection.

“When the cedar tree comes down, it is transformed into another life-form—a canoe. The canoe carries the people. It carries the songs, the language, the traditional protocol. It carries the salmon, the cattails—everything that’s collected. The paddles represent the people who participate and interact with the cedar. It becomes part of the whole culture.”
-- Peg Dream

In preparation for the Washington State centennial in 1989, the Native American Canoe Project was organized to rekindle the art of making cedar voyaging canoes, and with it the skills and stamina for canoeing. Hundreds of Native people from seventeen Western Washington tribes participated in the project . In the summer of 1989, a 170-mile voyage commenced from the Quileute Reservation along the western Washington coast and culminated in the “Paddle to Seattle”—a dramatic flotilla of thirty canoes that were paddled across the inland Puget Sound from Suquamish to Seattle. Thus was born the modern Northwest Coast canoeing revival.

The canoe represents carrying the culture. With the paddles inside, it also represents carrying the people—from the past to the present and into the future.

This text is excerpted from Chapter 14 of Pacific Voices: Keeping our Cultures Alive.

100 Best Curator and Museum Blogs

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:39:00 +0000

These days, many museums and museum professionals blog about what they do, and it can be overwhelming to determine which blogs are worth following. But this list of the 100 best curator and museum blogs is quite helpful if you are interseted in museum blogging - especially since the list is divided into blog categories. Take a look and spend some time exploring some of the best museum blogs.

More...
100 Best Curator and Museum Blogs*
Resources & Advice

These blogs offer useful resources and advice for museums.

Museum 2.0: Nina Simon discusses participatory museum experiences.
Museum Strategy: On the Museum Strategy blog, you’ll learn about museum communication and PR.
Audience Research: Check out Audience Research, and you’ll get insight into audience research in museums and beyond.
New Curator: New Curator takes a look at the future of museums.
Im in Ur Museum Blogz: This Museum Collections Manager blogs about blogging.
Smithsonian 2.0: Find out about new web endeavors from the Smithsonian on this blog.
Ideum: Read this blog to learn about museum exhibit and design news.
Museum People: Become a part of the museum community on this blog.
How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media: Read this blog to find how you can put social media to work.
Experienceology: Stephanie Weaver offers insight into creating great visitor experiences.
The Attic: The Attic is a home for the Department of Museum Studies’ research students at the University of Leicester.
ExhibiTricks: Read the ExhibiTricks to learn about the tricks of the trade in exhibits and museums.
ExhibitFiles: This blog offers an online community to learn about exhibits and more.
Open Objects: Open Objects offers a discussion about IT issues in museums and archaeology.
The Museum Detective: Dr. Joanna Cobley shares stories from behind the scenes at museums on this blog.
Doctor Dada: Learn about museums, multimedia, and the web on the Doctor Dada blog.
Social Media and Cultural Communication: Get ideas and strategy for getting cultural participation in social media for your museum.
Cultural Interpretation & Creative Education: Learn how cultural bodies can interpret their collections to connect with educators, tourism, and cultural politics.
Museum-Ed: Read the Museum-Ed Blog to connect with the Museum Educator Community.
Museum Planner: This blog is written for Board Members and stakeholders who work in various museums.

Curators & Staff

Check out these blogs to learn about museums from their curators and other staff.

Taking Liberties: British Library curator Matthew Shaw blogs about the exhibition Taking Liberties: The Struggle for Britain’s Freedoms and Rights.
Curator’s Corner: This curator’s blog is about anything art.
LCHA Curator’s Corner: Check out this blog, a place for discussions among curators.
Watts Gallery Director’s Blog: See new developments at the Watts Gallery through this blog from Perdita Hunt.
Museum Director’s Blog: See insights and inside stories of the Museum of Jewish Heritage’s director David G. Marwell.
conference.archimuse.com: This blog offers an online community for museum informatics professionals.
Confessions of a Curator: This blog is about rare books and special collections at Northern Illinois University.
Adventures of a Museum Maven: Read documentation of visits to museums and historical sites on this blog.
Palaeo Manchester Blog: Read this blog to find out what the Curator of Palaeontology at The Manchester Museum does.
The Carolina Curator: Daniel Smith is the Special Collections curator at the Health Sciences Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Watts Gallery-Curator’s Blog: Read this blog to get a behind the scenes look at the Watts Gallery from curator Mark Bills.
Curator & Collector: In this blog, you’ll learn about museums, numismatics, and collections.
The Zymoglyphic Museum Curator’s Blog: Study Zymoglyphic art, artifacts, and more through this blog.
Woodson Wanderings: Follow the Woodson Art Museum staff to see a day in the life at the museum.
Past Thinking: Tom Goskar and Tehmina Goskar discuss archaeology, museums, and other heritage issues to discuss how they can use technology to learn about the past.
Hi-Q-RT: See unique art from Compound Gallery and beyond in this blog.
Oregon State Arthropod Collection Curator’s Blog: Learn about activities, new events, and developments in this collection from the curators.

Art

In these blogs, you can learn about art museums.

Face to Face: Get up close and personal with the National Portrait Gallery on this blog.
Eye Level: Eye Level is produced by the Smithsonian American Art Museum, written to highlight discussion beyond the walls of the museum.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: Follow this blog to find out what’s happening at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
National Museums Liverpool Blog: Get unique perspectives from the staff and volunteers at National Museums Liverpool on this blog.
George Eastman House: The Blog: Get a look into film, photographs and more through the George Eastman House blog.
Brooklyn Museum: The Brooklyn Museum blog shares news about exhibits, current events, and behind the scenes moments at the museum.
Modern Blog: Go beyond and behind the walls of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
Indianapolis Museum of Art: Get a view into the art, nature park and more that’s a part of the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
Gibbes Museum Blog: Build a personal relationship with art through the Gibbes Museum of Art’s blog.
Art Matters: Get news and art musings from inside the University of Iowa Museum of Art’s blog.
Asian Art Museum Blog: Travel through thousands of years of history, sample cultures and more through the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s blog.
McMaster Museum of Art: In this space, the McMaster Museum of art discusses everything related to the McMaster Museum of Art, contributed by museum staff.
University of Wyoming Art Museum: Read this museum’s blog to stay up to date on exhibitions, programs and news relating to the University of Wyoming Art Museum.
Hammer Museum: Find out more about the Hammer Museum’s culture and collections through the Hammer Museum blog.
Amon Carter Museum: Read about the Amon Carter Museum of fine American art in Fort Worth, Texas on this blog.
Nasher Museum of Art: The Nasher Museum of Art at Duke is home to traveling exhibitions in modern and contemporary art.
Children & Education
See fun activities and more in these blogs about children’s and education museums.
The Learning Team, The Manchester Museum: Find learning resources and more through the Manchester Museum blog.
What’s Happening at The Children’s Museum of Memphis?: This museum’s blog welcomes dreamers.
The Children’s Museum in Easton: This museum works to make lifelong journals.
Bay Area Discovery Museum: Find out about the latest events and exhibits at the Bay Area Discovery Museum.

History & Culture

These blogs share the happenings of history and culture museums.

Tenement Museum: The Tenement Museum tells the story of immigrants to America.
Burpee Museum of Natural History: Read about local biology, prehistory, and geo-science on the Burpee Museum blog.
Blog from Battery Place: This blog offers a behind the scenes look at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.
Found History: See digital and public history on this blog.
Museum Anthropology: Read articles, reviews, notes, and more about museum anthropology on this blog.
High Desert Musings: Check out the high desert through this museum blog.
Henry VIII: Man and Monarch: Get a unique perspective on the Henry VIII exhibition at the British Library from this blog.
Yesterday.sg: Stay up to date on Singapore’s Heritage, Museums and Nostalgia from this museum blog.
Chicago History Museum: Get updated on collections, events, multimedia, and more from the Chicago History Museum on this blog.
The Bowers Museum Collection Blog: Find out more about the collection department at the Bowers Museum on this blog.
Annapolis Royal Heritage: Learn about heritage in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Guided By History: Check out the Wells Fargo blog to learn from archivists and historians.
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History: Stay informed about what’s new and coming along at SNOMNH through this blog.
The Burke Museum Blog: Read the Burke Museum Blog to see behind the scenes at the museum.
Science
In these blogs, you’ll get to see unique information and displays from science museums.
American Museum of Natural History Climate Change Blog: Learn about signs of change on this blog from the American Museum of Natural History.
Biomedicine on Display: Read the Medical Museion to see objects and more in biomedicine.
More to Explore: Explore this blog from the Fort Collins Museum and Discovery Science Center blog.
Museum Victoria: Go behind the scenes with the zoologists of the Melbourne Museum on this blog.
Adventures in Earth and Space: Learn about experiences in NASA Earth and Space science missions from this blog.
Science Circus: The Science Circus is the world’s biggest traveling science outreach center.
Beyond Bones: Read this blog to find out what’s happening at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research: See the Botany Photo of the Day in this blog.
Tree Frog Treks: Explore the wild science adventures in Tree Frog Treks through this blog.
Science Museum of Long Island: On this blog, you can find out what’s happening at SMLI.

Miscellaneous

These blogs will give you a glimpse into anything and everything museums.

East Lothian Council Museums Service Blog: Get everyday looks into collections from steam locomotives to fine art.
Endangered Archives Blog: This blog discusses the Endangered Archives program at the British Library.
The Pet Museum: This museum examines the lives, times, art and history of pets.
Exploratorium Explainers: Read the experiences, thoughts, and more of the Explainers at the Exploratorium, part of San Francisco’s Museum of Science, Art, and Human Perception.
Cooper-Hewitt Design Blog: Find out what’s going on at the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum on this blog.
Design Museum: This blog is about design museums around the world.
Whaling Museum Blog: The Whaling Museum blog records museum happenings and offers a way to connect with the museum.
greenmuseum.blog: Learn about pollution, preservation, and other green issues through the Green Museum blog.
Huronia Museum Blog: This museum relates to the Georgian Bay, Huron & Ojibwa First Nations People, and Huronia culture.
food museum blog: The Food Museum Blog shares eclectic reporting on all things food.
Powerhouse Museum Object of the Week: You’ll see a new object among Powerhouse Museum’s collection of 385,000 every week.
Harley Davidson Museum: This museum blog shares Harley Davidson updates, events, and more.
Ingalls Library & Museum Archives: This blog will help you keep up with what’s new and happening at the Ingalls Library.
The Women’s Museum: This blog will take you inside the national women’s history museum.
Looting Matters: Read about the ethics of collecting antiques from this blog.
Ohio Archaeology Blog: On this blog, you’ll learn about what’s happening with the Ohio Historical Society.
Cody Firearms Museum’s Weblog: Check out stories of Buffalo Bill, firearms history, and more on this blog.
National Scouting Museum Curator’s Corner: Learn about the official museum of the Boy Scouts of America from this blog.
Around the Mall: See what’s happening in the Smithsonian museums and more in this blog.

*Source: onlineuniversities.com

This weekend: Northwest Native Arts Market and Festival in Tacoma

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:21:00 +0000

Our friends at the Washington State History Museum have organized a Northwest Native Arts Market and Festival and it's happening this Saturday and Sunday (Aug. 8-9) in Tacoma at the History Museum.

The Market & Festival will feature a variety of Native American artisans selling their wares and offering live art demonstrations. Visitors can also take in Native American culture by watching live performances by local Native dancers, musicians and storytellers, and sampling Native American foods from Whitefoot Fish Company. Cool off inside the Museum and catch Mark Celletti’s documentary “Canoe Way: The Sacred Journey,” a 54-minute documentary on the resurgence of cedar canoe societies. Artists will be providing “Gallery Talks”, an opportunity for guests to learn more about their favorite artwork from In the Spirit: Contemporary Northwest Native Arts Exhibit. Every 15 minutes starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, artists will take turns talking about their artwork. Gallery Talks schedule will be provided to patrons of the Festival upon arrival.

Go check it out!

New video: Packing the Burke's Geology Collection

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 23:41:00 +0000

A few months ago, we wrote about creating a safer home for our ethnology and geology collections. Following that post, I spent some time with Ron Eng, geology collections manager, learning more about the process his staff and volunteers are going through to pack up the 2 million-piece geology collection in preparation for the new storage compactors that will be arriving at the museum in the future.

Take a look:

Posted by: Julia Swan, Communications

How to beat the heat: have a weeding party!

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:20:00 +0000

A weeding party to "beat the heat"? Doesn't that seem counter productive? No, as it turns out, not when it is 97 degrees outside, your offices are not air-conditioned, and the weeding can be done in the shade. This week Seattle has been having nearly record-breaking heat, but that didn't stop about a dozen Burke staff and board members from getting down and dirty in the Erna Gunther Ethnobotanical Garden for a weeding party. We made quite a lot of progress and actually had some fun in the process. The garden looks so much better now!

Posted by: Julia Swan, Communications

Where can kids dig in Washington?

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:36:00 +0000

On four Saturdays this summer the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is hosting a series of "Kids Digs." These 2-hour mock digs for children ages 8-12 give kids the hands-on experience they need to really understand what it means to be an archaeologist. Digs for kids are a rarity in the Pacific Northwest and the Burke Museum Archaeology Department has hosted a number of those few.

Our annual Archaeology Day often supports a mock dig and the Courtland Place Street Dig in Seattle was a class favorite. The Burke even ran a public dig on Vashon Island that resulted in a research publication. But the question remains, why are these digs so rare?

There are numerous reasons why an archaeological dig might be closed to the public. First and foremost are concerns about maintaining the scientific integrity of the site. Archaeologists go through years of education and hands-on training before they are let loose on an archaeological site and thus even the most well-intentioned amateurs can make mistakes at a dig that are all but impossible to correct.

Other considerations including safety, land ownership, tribal sensitivity, staffing, looting prevention, and excess costs are all reasons that most archaeological sites remain closed to the public. But for those of you interested in an archaeological adventure there are some options.

The USDA Forest Service Passport in Time program and the Earthwatch Institute both provide opportunities to get hands-on field training in archaeology. The National Park Service sometimes also offers volunteer opportunities in the field and maintains a comprehensive list of other opportunities. These intensive experiences are generally only available to adults or the teen crowd, but it is worth checking the websites of your nearest National Park or Forest to see what kid's events might be available.

In the meantime, be sure to check out the Fort Vancouver “Kids Digs.” These events are being held at the Fort on July 25, August 22, and September 26 and at the McLoughlin House in Oregon City on August 8. Kids Digs begin at 11am and run for 2 hours. Visit the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site website to learn more.

Posted by: Stephanie Jolivette, Archaeology Public Outreach

Photo (top): A Burke Museum archaeologist teaches kids about proper digging techniques at the Courtland Place Street Dig in 2004.

Video of Preston Singletary creating glass sculpture for Burke collection

noreply@blogger.com (The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:07:00 +0000

Back in November, glass artist Preston Singletary created a very beautiful killer whale sculpture for the Burke Museum's permanent collection. One of our curator's recorded some video footage at the Museum of Glass, where Preston worked on the piece. Take a look to get a sense of his process, then come see the final piece on view now in the Pacific Voices gallery.

Read more about the story behind the sculpture here.