Andrew W. Mellon Connecting Communities to Collections Program - Knowledge Exchanges and Workshops

Award Year: 2022 ($1M total program funding)

Geographic Scope: United States and international (community partnerships with Field Museum)

Focus Areas:

• Two-way collaborative learning between museum staff and Indigenous communities
• Traditional collections care knowledge
• Museum conservation and documentation expertise
• Community-driven education on cultural collections

1. Knowledge Exchanges - Community Visits to Field Museum

• Community knowledge keepers visiting Chicago
• Focus on traditional care of particular items
• Topics include: materials, indigenous repair methods, past restorations, residues, evidence of use, contextual information, meaning and significance, associated stories and memories, culturally appropriate storage and use
• Funding provided for travel, accommodation, and honorarium

2. Site Visits - Field Museum Staff to Communities

• Museum staff visits to Native institutions, community centers, and museums
• Expected duration: approximately three working days
• Direct knowledge transfer in community spaces
• Bi-directional learning

3. Annual Workshops

• Structured in-house workshops (three days, eight participants per workshop)
• Topics include: pesticide mitigation, conservation, collections topics (cleaning and restoring feathers and leather), photography, storage housing
• Travel, per diem, and honoraria provided for participants

Application Process

For participation in knowledge exchanges, site visits, or workshops, contact the Field Museum directly to discuss your community's interests and needs.