Here's what to know about Above and Beyond Children's Museum's new Culture Exchange Exhibit opening May 20.
SHEBOYGAN – Above and Beyond Children’s Museum will host a grand opening for its new Culture Exchange Exhibit May 20.
The exhibit aims to highlight diverse cultures and communities represented in the Sheboygan area through a permanent structure with interactive features and displayed artifacts.
Hmong culture will be represented first, made possible through a collaboration including ABCM, the Hmong Mutual Assistance Association and Hmong community members.
The event will celebrate Hmong culture with food, dance and other activities.
Here’s what to know about the exhibit.
The exhibit offers interactive and display items to learn about traditional Hmong culture.
The exhibit resembles a historically accurate Laotian countryside homestead, featuring a hut and garden area.
Interactive pieces include traditional clothing, utensils and tools used for cooking, gardening and farming. A touchscreen monitor will also have a world map and a Tree Bookshelf with books written by Hmong authors and books featuring Hmong culture.
Community member Miva Yang, who has worked closely with ABCM on the display, loaned artifacts like clothing, rice baskets and cookware.
ABCM's Executive Director Jackie Erdman said the HMAA and several Hmong community members, like Tamara Remington, Moua Yang and Sheila Yang, have been instrumental in curating the exhibit.
“So many people have been involved from the onset of the entire conception of this space and definitely were part of talking through the exact type of furniture, the exact type of look we were going for in the space,” Erdman said.
She added ABCM is excited to continue working with community members on the exhibit space.
Hmong and Latinx communities will be featured first.
The exhibit will have a 10-year cycle, with five prevalent cultures in the county on display for two years each.
Hmong culture will be displayed for two years, followed by the Latinx community, according to Erdman.
After the 10-year cycle, Erdman said ABCM will decide if it cycles to the beginning or introduces new cultures, depending on what the community wants.
She said ABCM will work closely with diverse communities to curate the displays, collaborating with new sponsors and changing features of the physical space.
“We are not the experts, but we can help be the keepers of what they wish to show the community, what they wish to share and what they wish us to celebrate in our space,” Erdman said.
According to Erdman, the structure and interactive component cost $80,000 and the 10-year cycle is budgeted for $150,000.
ABCM will pair cultural programming with the exhibit.
The children’s museum will complement some programming with the exhibit to teach acceptance, respect and celebration of different cultures.
ABCM's Youth Chefs: Around the World program at Nourish Farms, which teaches youth to cook different cuisine, is one example of this.
Erdman said Miva Yang will also work with ABCM's education manager on other programming opportunities, developing ways children across age levels can engage and learn about Hmong culture.
A grand opening May 20 will feature Hmong food, dance and activities.
The grand opening celebration will take place at ABCM from 10 a.m. to noon May 20.
It will feature Hmong and Asian store and restaurant vendors, HMAA dance instructors who can teach traditional dance pieces and Hmong culture-inspired activities for youth, provided by ABCM and Come Together Sheboygan.
Above and Beyond Children's Museum is at 902 N. Eighth St. Contact ABCM at 920-458-4263 and abcm@abkids.org.
Contact Alex Garner at 224-374-2332 or agarner@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @alexx_garner.
This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Sheboygan Above and Beyond Children's Museum features Hmong culture
