The Smithsonian Institution is coming to Michigan! The Michigan Humanities Council is proud to coordinate the Smithsonian’s exhibition tour of The Way We Worked as it travels to six rural Michigan cities from September 2012 through July 2013.
The Way We Worked, adapted from an original exhibition developed by the National Archives, explores how work became a central element in American culture by tracing the many changes that affected the workforce and work environments over the past 150 years. The exhibition draws from the Archives’ rich photographic collections to tell this compelling story.
The exhibit features graphics, audio components, photo flipbooks, film and numerous artifacts on the history of our national workforce. Visitors will have the opportunity to take an interactive approach through Stories from Main Street. This website and accompanying phone application make it easy to record and share memories of your small town. You’ll also be able to hear what others like about their hometowns throughout the nation – you can browse stories by subject matter or on a map. The Way We Worked focuses on the small-town pride that engulfs our state – whether you can make it to the exhibition or not, sharing your story from Main Street is a great way to get involved!
In addition to its national focus, local programming will accompany the exhibit to educate visitors on the host cities’ local work history and how it shaped the area over time. The host cities have workforce backgrounds in shipping and lumber, tourism, calcite, agriculture and more, making each site’s exhibit profoundly different from the one before. To stay updated on what each site is offering throughout the exhibit, visit www.michiganhumanities.org. Travel the state with the Smithsonian and learn about the different workforce avenues that helped shape our great state!
Sept. 14 – Oct. 29, 2012
Presque Isle County Historical Museum (Rogers City)
Nov. 2 – Dec. 17, 2012
Dale A. Lyons Building
Southwestern Michigan College (Dowagiac)
Dec. 21, 2012 – Feb. 11, 2013
Cromaine District Library (Hartland)
Feb. 15 – April 1, 2013
Escanaba Public Library (Escanaba)
April 5 – May 20, 2013
Pere Marquette District Library (Clare)
May 24 – July 8, 2013
Hart Area Public Library (Hart)
Logos, exhibition images and images relating to each site’s work history are available for the media. Please contact Kate Bartig, (517) 372-7770 or kkolenda@mihumanities.org, for additional information and media contacts for each site.
The Way We Worked, an exhibition created by the National Archives, is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and State Humanities Councils nationwide. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress.
About the Michigan Humanities Council
The Michigan Humanities Council is a private, nonprofit organization created to foster a better understanding of each other and our state through local cultural, historical and literary experiences for all. The Council was founded in 1974 and is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities and individual donors. For more information on future programs, upcoming grant opportunities or how you can support these efforts, please visit www.michiganhumanities.org or call (517) 372-7770.
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