Museum of Us

As a reminder, the Museum of Us remains temporarily closed at this time. However, visitors can still enjoy the beautiful, outdoor views of Balboa Park! Please follow state and local safety guidelines regarding physical distancing and mask-wearing for a safe and enjoyable visit. For more information: culturalpartnership.org/beforeyouvisit

This beautiful installation is the product of Inter+FACE, a partnership with The AjA Project that used participatory photography and community dialogue to explore how race, representation, and identity have been experienced in both past and present San Diego. You can find it in our Race: Are We So Different? gallery today! Image by: Alexander Adams Design by: Shinpei Takeda

Our exhibit Cannibals: Myth & Reality dispels some of the myths about cannibalism often depicted in film and television. Although we remain temporarily closed, you can get a glimpse of these myths by watching these movies: Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) American Psycho (2000) In the Heart of the Sea (2015)... Silence of the Lambs (1991) Ravenous (1999) [Viewer Discretion Advised]

Why can a smell trigger such a powerful memory? Biological anthropologist Kara Hoover explains to NPR what's going on in the brain when we smell, how smell interacts with taste, and why our sense of smell is heightened in the winter: https://n.pr/3gaoROt

In our Living with Animals exhibit, visitors explore the relationship between humans and animals throughout time, including what kind of animals we put on our plate! But fake meat, however, has been around longer than you might think. Grist.org shares 1,000 years of fake meat, in two minutes:

Today is International Pronouns Day! Thank you to our friends at UNA USA San Diego Chapter for their support of our name change. We can all take steps, big and small, towards inclusion and gender equality. To learn more: https://www.aclunc.org/blog/what-s-pronoun #GenerationEquality #MuseumOfUs #AllOfUs

When many Americans began working from home during the pandemic, we were reminded of the therapeutic power of pets! Whether your furry friend is keeping you company with cuddles, or keeping you busy interrupting virtual meetings, you can learn all about the history of our complicated relationship with pets in our Living with Animals exhibit!

This #GivingTuesday, every donation made to the Museum of Us will be matched 1:1 by one of our trustees! Support from our community allows us to continue to foster dialogue and lifelong learning through unique programming, innovative exhibits, and virtual experiences. As we remain temporarily closed due to the ongoing spread of COVID-19, we are more grateful than ever for your support. Make a tax-deductible donation today to double your impact and support the Museum of Us for ALL of us! https://bit.ly/2JtDjVD

This week, James Luna’s 1987 work, The Artifact Piece, was listed at #10 of T: The New York Times Style Magazine’s 25 Most Influential Works of American Protest Art Since World War II. Luna’s piece first debuted at the San Diego Museum of Man (now, the Museum of Us) in 1987 as a commentary on the objectification of Native Americans in museums: I had long looked at representation of our peoples in museums and they all dwelled in the pastWe were simply objects among bones..., bones among objects, and then signed and sealed with a date. In that framework you really couldn't talk about joy, intelligence, humor, or anything that I know makes up our people. We’d like to take this moment to acknowledge the profound influence of the late James Luna, artist and citizen of the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians, on both our organization and nation. Today, our groundbreaking decolonizing efforts reflect many of the themes of his work. May this powerful piece, and the influence of James Luna’s work, continue to lift the voices of Indigenous cultures worldwide. #MomentsThatMadeUs #JamesLuna #DecolonizeMuseums

People often think of health as the result of individual choices. But the redlining study's findings show how health is also a result of a lack of choices baked into the very fabric of American cities by racist policies made long ago. Learn more with NPR:

The Museum of Us stands with the American Alliance of Museums in their condemnation of a recently issued Presidential Executive Order that stifles essential diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI) training. We, as an institution, are deeply committed to equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. And, we understand that we cannot move forward to become a more equitable community and nation without acknowledging the systems that have historically inhibited progress, and that continue into the present-day. We remain committed to our values and will continue to offer anti-racism education through our Race: Are We So Different? exhibit and programs. For more detail, please follow the link to the full AAM statement:

This Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we acknowledge and honor the resistance, resilience, strength, and legacy of Indigenous peoples everywhere. Specifically, we recognize the generosity, resilience, and courage of the Kumeyaay Nation, whose partnership we cherish and unceded, ancestral homeland we reside on. Today, and every day, we encourage you to consider whose land you live on. How are the Indigenous peoples in your area continuing to be resilient? How can we be a better relative, voice, and support for Indigenous peoples locally and globally? https://native-land.ca/

Wondering how to commemorate a day as complex and meaningful as Indigenous Peoples' Day? Renée Gokey, citizen of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and educator at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, provides five ideas to appropriately celebrate the holiday during this unusual year.

Today is Indigenous Peoples Day, a day to acknowledge and honor the original peoples of the land on which we all reside. The growing recognition and celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day actually represents the fruits of a concerted, decades-long effort to recognize the role of indigenous people in the nation’s history, writes Malinda Maynor Lowery, scholar and citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

Know before you go! Planning a weekend visit to the Museum of Us? We are excited to have you! Be sure to visit our COVID-19 Updates page for the latest information, and to plan your safe visit today: https://bit.ly/32rqPor

Inspiring human connection by exploring the human experience that’s what we’re all about. The Museum of Us is a place by, for, and of ALL of us. #WhatMakesUs #MuseumofUs

#HispanicHeritageMonth honors the cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latinx Americans, and runs from September 15th to October 15th. Whether it's through grassroots organizing or artistic celebrations, these influential Hispanic activists past and present have been powerful trailblazers for their community and left an indelible mark on the world. #MuseumofUs #AllofUs

The Museum of Us is committed to decolonizing our practices. You may be wondering what that means! We believe that decolonizing the museum is a comprehensive and never-ending commitment to honor the requests and needs of Indigenous Peoples whose cultural resources we steward, and amplifying voices beyond the dominant narrative. This 2018 article from the Washington Post explains the complexities and importance of decolonizing museums, including the Museum of Us (formerly Sa...n Diego Museum of Man). #AllowUsToReintroduceOurselves #WhatMakesUs #MuseumofUs #DecolonizeMuseums

We are one month away from the presidential election! As important as it is to exercise your right to vote, it is also important to understand that not everyone has always been afforded that right. Voter suppression has a long history in the United States, with lasting impacts into the present-day. #MuseumofUs #AllofUs