Bad River Museum Service-Learning Project

In the class, Library and Information Studies: Tribal Libraries, Archives, and Museums, I studied Indigenous ways of knowing, the Indigenous history in Wisconsin, and how Indigenous information and cultural institutions function. An essential part of this course was completing a service-learning project at a tribal cultural institution in Wisconsin. I volunteered at Bad River Museum, a newly founded institution with the mission of connecting tribal members to their history and instilling cultural pride.

This project was a hybrid of virtual research and in-person work. First, my group met virtually with the museum director to discuss the needs of the museum and goals of the project. I researched object photography equipment and training to initiate the documentation of their collection. Next, we visited the museum to prepare for their first exhibition, which focused on the Kakagon Sloughs and wild rice harvesting. The exhibition showed the historic and present cultural and environmental importance of the sloughs and the process of creating a birch bark canoe. I conducted archival research and organized and cleaned the archive room. Then we installed the exhibition by setting up hanging devices, building furniture, placing pedestals, and hanging paintings.

While volunteering for Bad River Museum, I applied my knowledge in object photography, exhibition research, and exhibition installation to an indigenous cultural institution. I learned about a tribe in Wisconsin and its history and culture. I recognized the importance of collaboration and humility when working with Indigenous institutions.