Roots of Wisdom Exhibitions

Interactive Exhibition

In Roots of Wisdom: Native Knowledge. Shared Science, students and families learn the ways in which traditional knowledge of indigenous communities and cutting–edge science are being applied to improve our world. The 2,000 square–foot traveling exhibition tells the stories of four communities, giving visitors real life examples of how traditional knowledge and shared science provide complementary solutions to ecological and health challenges.

Through the voices of elders and youth, hands–on interactives, and clever video games, visitors gather resources, examine data, and take part in the growing movement towards sustainability and reclamation of age–old practices. The exhibition is specially designed for students ages 11–14 and their families, and has English audio, video, text, and samplings from several different indigenous languages. A comment and article posting board allows host sites to relate the universal messages of the exhibition to their local communities by displaying relevant materials and inviting visitors to comment on reflection prompts.

Banner Exhibition

Based on the larger exhibition, the banner version of Roots of Wisdom: Native Knowledge. Shared Science. was created in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Services (SITES). Lightweight graphic panels present adapted content in a format that is accessible for small tribal museums and other small venues with limited resources and exhibition space.