Program Evaluation
All Roads Are Good: A Virtual Tour
Since the beginning of time, storytelling has been a primary for cultures to preserve their history. Storytelling has been a way for cultures to pass down their traditions generation after generation orally. When Christopher Columbus guided one of the most heinous crimes in Western history in his "discovery" of America, Ingenious American culture was nearly erased, but storytelling aided in preserve their histories. Indigenous Americans have been oppressed and marginalized throughout history, and their culture has not been widely projected in American society. The Eurocentric perspective of the American school systems minimizes the stories of Indigenous people, and most of the histories about Indigenous people are their interaction with Europeans. The first standard of the Social Studies Georgia Standards of Excellence for 11th grade United States history compares and contrasts the development of English settlement and colonization during the 17th Century[1]. The Georgia Board of Education completely ignores the history of America before European settlement, muting the voices of indigenous people.
Although the American public school system has not adequately told the stories of indigenous people, traditionally marginalized groups are beginning to have more representation in the public history field in recent years. The study of different minority groups has become disciplinary subjects in the academy in the last thirty years. Histories produced in the last thirty years are beginning to become relevant in the academy today, focusing on marginalized groups. The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian created a virtual exhibition, All Roads Are Good, that highlights the history of Indigenous Americans. The virtual program was a collaborative effort between the Four Directions Project and the National Museum of American Indian and is offered permanently on their website. The exhibition was physically on display from August 1, 1994-August 1, 2000. The mission of the National Museum of the American Indian is to "fosters a richer shared human experience through a more informed understanding of Native peoples."[2] The All Road Are Good program aligns with the mission to educate its audience on Indigenous culture. Although the target audience for the program is school-age children, the virtual tour offers an in-depth look into the American Indian culture that appeals to a general audience interested in Indigenous culture. All Roads Are Good is a virtual exhibition that features artifacts chosen by twenty-three American Indians and information related to indigenous tribes throughout American. The exhibition is a 4D model that allows viewers to navigate the website like they are walking through a gallery. The goal of the virtual exhibition is to present the world views of indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere.
The exhibition features more than three hundred artifacts such as Deer Hoof Rattle, Gourd Rattle, Ojibwe Bandolier Bag, Pomo Basket, Mimbres Valley Bowl, and Santa Domingo Dough Bowl. The exhibition features artifacts that are from different tribes around the country from different generations. The inclusivity of different tribes attracts a broader audience because it highlights several cultures that make it more probable to have more people relate to it. The exhibition features information on the Worchester V. Georgia trial that was a landmark Supreme Court case for Indigenous people in 1832. Although the All Roads Are Good exhibition was located in New York City, the inclusion of artifacts of Georgia might interest a Georgia viewer.
The virtual exhibition achieved the National Museum of the American Indian goal of presenting the history of Indigenous culture from the viewpoint of American Indians. Minority issues have historically been written and displayed by those who oppress them, but The Smithsonian's decision to specifically work with Indigenous people in choosing the artifacts gives a voice to American Indians in the presentation of their own history.
The All Roads Are Good virtual exhibition is an extensively historically detailed exhibition, but it does have some shortcomings. The exhibition was created twenty-six years ago, and the technology of the virtual exhibition has not been updated much since. Although the information presented in the exhibition is still relevant and culturally accurate, the formatting of the website needs to be updated. Viewers who do not have the proper software to run the website will not be able to view the exhibition, limiting the museum's audience reach. The only suggestions to improve the virtual exhibition would be to update the website's software to a modern model.
All Roads Are Good is an exceptional exhibition that has remained relevant for a quarter-century. The Smithsonian's planning and presentation of the Indigenous culture with American Indians gives the audience a more personal connection with the culture. The National Museum of the American Indian remarkably displays the history of American Indians from their perspective with the virtual exhibition. Although the exhibition is over twenty-five years old is is still culturally relevant in the representation of a minority group in the United States.
[1] Georgia Department of Education. “Social Studies Georgia Standards of Excellence”. (Georgia: Department of Education, 2016)
[2] National Museum of The American Indian. “All Roads Are Good”. (Smithsonian Institute, 2021)
Although the American public school system has not adequately told the stories of indigenous people, traditionally marginalized groups are beginning to have more representation in the public history field in recent years. The study of different minority groups has become disciplinary subjects in the academy in the last thirty years. Histories produced in the last thirty years are beginning to become relevant in the academy today, focusing on marginalized groups. The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian created a virtual exhibition, All Roads Are Good, that highlights the history of Indigenous Americans. The virtual program was a collaborative effort between the Four Directions Project and the National Museum of American Indian and is offered permanently on their website. The exhibition was physically on display from August 1, 1994-August 1, 2000. The mission of the National Museum of the American Indian is to "fosters a richer shared human experience through a more informed understanding of Native peoples."[2] The All Road Are Good program aligns with the mission to educate its audience on Indigenous culture. Although the target audience for the program is school-age children, the virtual tour offers an in-depth look into the American Indian culture that appeals to a general audience interested in Indigenous culture. All Roads Are Good is a virtual exhibition that features artifacts chosen by twenty-three American Indians and information related to indigenous tribes throughout American. The exhibition is a 4D model that allows viewers to navigate the website like they are walking through a gallery. The goal of the virtual exhibition is to present the world views of indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere.
The exhibition features more than three hundred artifacts such as Deer Hoof Rattle, Gourd Rattle, Ojibwe Bandolier Bag, Pomo Basket, Mimbres Valley Bowl, and Santa Domingo Dough Bowl. The exhibition features artifacts that are from different tribes around the country from different generations. The inclusivity of different tribes attracts a broader audience because it highlights several cultures that make it more probable to have more people relate to it. The exhibition features information on the Worchester V. Georgia trial that was a landmark Supreme Court case for Indigenous people in 1832. Although the All Roads Are Good exhibition was located in New York City, the inclusion of artifacts of Georgia might interest a Georgia viewer.
The virtual exhibition achieved the National Museum of the American Indian goal of presenting the history of Indigenous culture from the viewpoint of American Indians. Minority issues have historically been written and displayed by those who oppress them, but The Smithsonian's decision to specifically work with Indigenous people in choosing the artifacts gives a voice to American Indians in the presentation of their own history.
The All Roads Are Good virtual exhibition is an extensively historically detailed exhibition, but it does have some shortcomings. The exhibition was created twenty-six years ago, and the technology of the virtual exhibition has not been updated much since. Although the information presented in the exhibition is still relevant and culturally accurate, the formatting of the website needs to be updated. Viewers who do not have the proper software to run the website will not be able to view the exhibition, limiting the museum's audience reach. The only suggestions to improve the virtual exhibition would be to update the website's software to a modern model.
All Roads Are Good is an exceptional exhibition that has remained relevant for a quarter-century. The Smithsonian's planning and presentation of the Indigenous culture with American Indians gives the audience a more personal connection with the culture. The National Museum of the American Indian remarkably displays the history of American Indians from their perspective with the virtual exhibition. Although the exhibition is over twenty-five years old is is still culturally relevant in the representation of a minority group in the United States.
[1] Georgia Department of Education. “Social Studies Georgia Standards of Excellence”. (Georgia: Department of Education, 2016)
[2] National Museum of The American Indian. “All Roads Are Good”. (Smithsonian Institute, 2021)