MUSEUM ON MAIN STREET (MOMS)

MUSEUM ON MAIN STREET (MOMS) is a key initiative of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) in partnership with different humanities councils in the 50 states and territories that directly engages small town audiences and brings revitalized attention to underserved rural communities through their own museums, historical societies and other cultural venues. MOMS exhibitions become a hub for storytelling and community engagement, encouraging audiences to share and celebrate their local history and heritage.

As part of the MOMS initiative in Guam, Humanities Guåhan develops and curates supplemental exhibitions with their own objects, stories and programs that celebrate Guam’s unique cultural heritage and inspire community pride. Exhibit programming events such as curator and scholar tours, lectures, community conversations, film screenings with discussion, storytelling, educator workshops, interpretive exhibition workshops, interpretive off-site tours, performances, and other special presentations engage audiences to develop a greater understanding and expand on the themes and content presented in the exhibits. Our participation in the Smithsonian Institution MOMS program has allowed Humanities Guåhan to provide our underserved community access to Smithsonian-quality exhibits, educational resources, grant support and technical assistance.

In 2017, Humanities Guåhan hosted the Guam tour of Water/Ways. This new exhibition project was modeled on four past successful exhibition tours we hosted on Guam in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution that include:

• Journey Stories exhibition tour and programs (2014-15)
• Between Fences exhibition tour and programs (2012)
• Key Ingredients – America By Food exhibition tour and programs (2009-2010)
• New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music exhibition tour and programs (2007)

Past partners for these tours and the local exhibit and program components include: Triple B Forwarders, Guam Museum, the University of Guam Micronesia Area Research Center (MARC), MARC Spanish Documents Collection, UOG Isla Center for the Arts, Pacific Historic Parks, the National Park Service, Bank of Guam, Guam Council on the Arts and Humanities Agency, Delta Airlines, Pay Less Car Rental, KUAM News, United States Air Force History Office, Naval Base Guam Public Affairs Office, Northern Marianas Islands Museum of History and Culture, and the Pacific War Museum.

For more information on the Smithsonian Institution MUSEUM ON MAIN STREET  Program visit: http://www.museumonmainstreet.org