Smithsonian traveling exhibit exploring water's impact coming to Chattahoochee

From above, Earth appears as a water planet with more than 71 percent of its surface covered with this vital resource for life.

Water impacts climate, agriculture, transportation, industry and more. It inspires art and music. The Apalachicola Arsenal Museum in Chattahoochee, in cooperation with the Florida Humanities Council, will examine water as an environmental necessity and an important cultural element as it hosts “Water/Ways,” a traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street (MoMS) program.

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“Water/Ways” will be on view Aug. 28 through Oct. 23 at Apalachicola Arsenal Museum in Chattahoochee. Opening times are 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and on Saturday.

The Apalachicola Arsenal Museum and the surrounding community has been expressly chosen by the Florida Humanities Council 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.

The exhibition will tour seven communities in Florida from June 26, 2021, through Sept. 3, 2022.

The Museum is located on the grounds of Florida State Hospital, once the Apalachicola Arsenal, the scene of the first action in the Civil War, the first penitentiary and the first mental health facility, which it remains today.

'Important part of everyone's life'

“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 how political and economic planning have long been affected by access to water and control of water resources. Human creativity and resourcefulness provide new ways of protecting water resources and renewing respect for the natural environment.

Designed for small-town museums, libraries and cultural organizations, “Water/Ways” will serve as a community meeting place to convene conversations about water’s impact on American culture.

With the support and guidance of state humanities councils, these towns will develop complementary exhibits, host public programs and facilitate educational initiatives to raise people’s understanding about what water means culturally, socially and spiritually in their own community.

“Water is an important part of everyone’s life, and we are excited to explore what it means culturally, socially and spiritually in our own community,” said Linda Kranert, Museum Coordinator. “We want to convene conversations about water and have developed local exhibitions and public programs to compliment the Smithsonian exhibition.”

Education events, cleanup, kayaking

Such free events include children’s educational events, Apalachicola Riverkeeper Clean Up Days and kayak trip, documentary screenings, guest speaker presentations and other events throughout the exhibition.

“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.

“Water/Ways” was inspired by an exhibition organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (amnh.org), and the Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul (smm.org), in collaboration with Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland; The Field Museum, Chicago; Instituto Sangari, Sao Paulo, Brazil; National Museum of Australia, Canberra; Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada; San Diego Natural History Museum; and Science Centre Singapore with PUB Singapore.

The exhibition is part of Museum on Main Street, a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation, and local host institutions. To learn more about “Water/Ways” and other Museum on Main Street exhibitions, visit museumonmainstreet.org.

Clyde Butcher and local artists

In addition to the “Water/Ways” exhibit, famous photographer, Clyde Butcher will be displaying photographs taken from Apalachicola River Basin and river area. Butcher's deep appreciation for the Everglades inspired him to work for the restoration and preservation of the environment.

He has received recognition for his community service as well as his photography. In 1992, PBS aired a documentary about him, "Visions of Florida," which won a Wolfson Award. Butcher was inducted into Florida’s Artist Hall of Fame and has received numerous Lifetime Achievement awards for his work.

Additionally, stories from local community members will be on display in the “Our Water, Our Lives” Exhibit.

Artists from throughout the Big Bend are participating with individually designed and created wooden Water Drop paintings entered in the “Water Drop Project.” Each of the drops will be on display and available to bid on in the Silent Auction sponsored by the Historical Society.

This exhibit is brought to the community thanks to the efforts of the Apalachicola Arsenal Museum and the Apalachicola Arsenal Museum Historical Society. Support for MoMS has been provided by the U.S. Congress. Florida Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.  Major sponsors of the local exhibit include Columbia Sportswear and Focus Foundation of Chattahoochee.

SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for 65 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science and history, are shown wherever people live, work and play. For exhibition description and itinerary of tour schedules, visit sites.si.edu.

If you go

What: Smithsonian traveling exhibit “Water/Ways”

When: Opens Aug. 28 and runs through Oct. 23. Hours are 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday

Where: Apalachicola Arsenal Museum, Florida State Hospital, 1071 Pecan St., Chattahoochee

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Smithsonian traveling 'Water/Ways' exhibit will dock in Chattahoochee