Twelve communities selected to host the Smithsonian’s Water/Ways traveling exhibit
Sites Will Host Traveling Exhibition Exploring Water’s Environmental and Cultural Impact
Arizona Humanities and the Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives and School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies at Arizona State University are excited to announce twelve Arizona rural communities who will host the Smithsonian Institution’s traveling exhibition Water/Ways. Water/Ways, is a traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street (MoMS) program, will be on view in Arizona June 2018 through April 2020. The exhibition and companion programming examine water as an environmental necessity and an important cultural element as well as community water stories.
The sites have been expressly chosen from a group of competitive applications by Arizona Humanities and ASU to host Water/Ways as part of the Museum on Main Street program—a national/state/local partnership to bring exhibitions and programs to rural cultural organizations.
Congratulations to the selected organizations, host sites, and cities:
Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum
Bisbee, AZ
Brought to you by the Bisbee Council on the Arts & Humanities
June 2 – July 15, 2018
Commanding Officer’s Quarters, Fort Apache and Theodore Roosevelt School National Historic Landmark
Fort Apache, AZ
Brought to you by the Fort Apache Heritage Foundation, Inc.
July 28 – September 9, 2018
Bullion Plaza Cultural Center and Museum
Miami, AZ
Brought to you by the Bullion Plaza Cultural Center and Museum
September 22 – November 4, 2018
McFarland State Historic Park
Florence, AZ
Brought to you by the Town of Florence
November 17 – December 30, 2018
Henry F. Hauser Museum
Sierra Vista, AZ
Brought to you by the City of Sierra Vista
January 12 – February 25, 2019
Amerind Museum
Dragoon, AZ
Brought to you by the Amerind Foundation, Inc.
March 9 – April 21, 2019
Central Arizona College – Aravaipa Campus
Winkelman, AZ
Brought to you by the Copper Corridor Economic Development Coalition
May 4 – June 16, 2019
Carl Hayden Visitor Center at Glen Canyon Dam
Page, AZ
Brought to you by the Glen Canyon Natural History Association
June 29 – August 11, 2019
Camp Verde Community Library
Camp Verde, AZ
Brought to you by the Friends of the Verde River Greenway
August 24 – October 6, 2019
Tubac Presidio State Historic Park
Tubac, AZ
Brought to you by the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park
October 19 – December 1, 2019
Cañon Elementary School District 50
Black Canyon City, AZ
Brought to you by the Black Canyon City Community Association – Black Canyon Heritage Park
December 14, 2019 – January 26, 2020
The Lake Havasu Museum of History
Lake Havasu City, AZ
Brought to you by the Lake Havasu City Historical Society
February 8 – March 22, 2020
Water/Ways explores the endless motion of the water cycle, water’s effect on landscape, settlement and migration, and its impact on culture and spirituality. It looks at political and economic efforts to ensure access to water, and explores how human creativity and resourcefulness provide new ways to protect water resources and renew our relationship with the natural environment.
Water/Ways is designed for small-town museums, libraries and cultural organizations; the exhibit will serve as a place to convene community conversations about water’s impact on American culture. With the support and guidance of staff at Arizona Humanities and scholars at Arizona State University, host sites will develop a locally produced companion exhibition and local programming to raise people’s understanding about water stories within their community.
The future of the commodity in the dry desert will be explored through historical documents and personal accounts.
“Access to clean, affordable water in the desert southwest will become ever more critical to a sustainable and just future as we face continued population growth and a warming, drying climate. Sharing our water values and concerns through public programs like Water/Ways may help us face our future challenges cooperatively and with empathy rather than through misunderstanding and conflict,” said Paul Hirt, State Scholar for Water/Ways and ASU Professor of History and Sustainability.
Water/Ways is part of the Smithsonian’s Think Water Initiative to raise awareness of water as a critical resource for life through exhibitions, educational resources and public programs. The public can participate in the conversation on social media at #thinkwater and #waterwaysAZ. Water/Ways is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress.
To learn more about Water/Ways in Arizona, please visit http://www.azhumanities.org/water-ways/ or call Arizona Humanities at 602-257-0335.
