Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology facts for kids
| Established | 1966 |
|---|---|
| Location | Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount St (Neff Hall), Wichita, KS 67260 USA |
| Type | Anthropology Museum |
The Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology began in 1966. It was first called the Museum of Man. Dr. Lowell Holmes, an Anthropology Professor at Wichita State University, started it.
For 33 years, the museum slowly grew. It became known as a small but interesting place. Its collections include items from cultures around the world. It also has ancient objects, mostly from the American Midwest and Southwest.
In 1999, the museum moved to Neff Hall. It got bigger, and Mr. Jerry Martin became its first full-time director. His main job was to develop the museum.
Mr. Martin wanted students to help run the museum. This would be part of their museum studies training. He found money to hire students for daily tasks. By 2006, five student jobs were available. The museum does many things. It has exhibits for everyone to see. It also holds a growing collection of artifacts. It supports the anthropology department at Wichita State University. Students use it for research. It also stores government archaeological finds. Plus, it helps teach students about working in museums. These different jobs give students lots of experience.
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Cool Collections at the Holmes Museum
Amazing Asmat Art
In 2001, the museum went on a trip to Western New Guinea. They collected over 950 pieces of Asmat tribal art. Later that year, the museum also received the Bakwin collection. This added nearly 120 more Asmat art pieces.
Asmat art is famous for being large and beautiful. It is also very rare. This collection is becoming well-known. Only two other similar collections exist in the United States. One is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The other is at the Asmat Museum of Art in St. Paul, MN.
Southwest Pottery and Art
The museum has the John Morgan collection of Southwest pottery. It also holds the Emma and John Huff collection of Southwest jewelry. The Holmes Museum also has many ancient pots from the American Southwest.
Ancient Pottery from the Americas
The David Jackman collection has many ancient Casas Grande and Colima pots. The Aitchison collection also has a wide range of ancient pottery. These include pieces from Pueblo cultures. There are also items from Mayan, Veracruz, and other Mesoamerican cultures.
Chinese Clothing and Art
In 1988 and 1989, museum staff went to China. They collected clothing and art from different Chinese groups. These trips brought back many items. They came from Inner Mongolia, Northwestern and Southern China, and Tibet.
Archaeology Finds
The Anthropology Department has four labs. These labs help process and study many archaeology finds. These collections are mostly from Kansas and nearby states. They also come from the Four Corners area of the American Southwest.
The museum stores archaeological collections for the U.S. Government. It is an official storage place for the Bureau of Reclamations. Students use these collections for learning and research.
Old Media Resources
The museum recently started a project. They are turning old audio and video into digital files. Most of these old tapes and films were made by anthropologists or missionaries. The museum wants to save these files. They will then be available for research and learning.
Current Exhibitions to Explore
Human Evolution: Our Story
A new exhibit recently opened. It shows ideas about human evolution and human diversity. One part of the exhibit shows Charles Darwin's trip around the world. He sailed on the HMS Beagle. On this trip, he developed his idea of Natural Selection. Another part shows how Apes and humans developed separately. This covers the last 34 million years.
Southwestern Art: A Story of Change
The second new exhibit is called "Southwestern Art: A Story of Transition and Change." It is in the museum's Jackman Gallery. This exhibit features the Morgan Collection of Southwest Pueblo pottery. It also has the Mullen collection of Southwest Jewelry.
It tells how railroads and tourism helped Southwestern art become popular again. This art now helps many Pueblo families earn money. The exhibit has over 80 beautiful pots. They come from 14 different pueblos. It also includes jewelry and textiles from the Hopi and Navajo people.
Online Exhibits and Websites
The museum has a website called “Through the Eyes of the Pot: The Morgan collection of Southwest Pottery”. This site shows the pots from the Morgan collection. It also tells about the potters. It has chapters on different pueblos.
There is also an online exhibit with home videos and stories. These are from missionaries in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. This exhibit is called "The Wagner Collection Field Journal: 1955-1969". It combines spoken stories and videos. It describes what missionaries saw among the Duna, Hewa, and Enga people.
The museum also made a big website about the Asmat people of Papua, Indonesia. It is called "Art and Culture of the Asmat". This site uses objects, photos, and videos from the collection. It explores the art, ceremonies, and culture of the Asmat people. Short films from the website are also on YouTube.
Student Research and Expeditions
The Holmes Museum supports many research projects. Many students are in the museum studies program. Several students are working on or planning research projects. For example, many students want to base their master's degree projects on the Asmat collection.
In the summer of 2003, students went to the Guatemalan highlands. Museum director Jerry Martin led them. They collected Mayan weavings and dance masks. They studied what these items meant to local people. The items they collected are now part of the museum's Mayan collection.
In the summer of 2007, the museum director and a student went back to the Asmat region of New Guinea. They made videos for the Asmat website. This website combines text, video, and audio. It creates a learning resource for everyone. They also filmed in the Korowai cultural area.
Where to Find the Museum
The Holmes Museum is in Neff Hall. This building is on the campus of Wichita State University.
