Mathers Museum brings cultures of the world to Bloomington

Tucked quietly away on the western side of the IU campus lies a place where world culture flourishes and hands-on learning is a requirement. \nSince the early 1980s, the William Hammond Mathers Museum has been an interactive learning environment for the students, faculty and the Bloomington community as a whole. Its vast collection of world culture exhibits and artifacts is sure to wow even the most educated of visitors. \nIn everything it does, the Mathers Museum staff prides itself on helping to educate the visitors on both the diversity of the world around them and the unity that binds together the human race.\nJudy Kirk, assistant director of the museum, explains. \n"One of the main points to all of our programs is that no matter when or where a culture lived, they have all had to deal with the same common problems," she said. "We see that there is an underlying unity between all cultures, even though our responses to daily problems may be different."\nThroughout the years the Mathers Museum has collected thousands of artifacts throughout the world, but as Kirk said, the majority of the artifacts displayed are collected right here in our backyard.\n"Most of our exhibits are cross cultural, meaning that there are a collection of artifacts from various regions and cultures throughout the world," Kirk said. "However, most of the artifacts are collected from North America."\nAccording to the museum's Web site, the museum concentrates mainly on material culture, so that future generations can better understand the progress of the human race. Penny Elaine, the museum's security coordinator, feels that the best feature of the museum is that it is an interactive one. \n"There is an abundance of exhibits for people to come and play with," Elaine said. "We want people to use the museum as a library for hands-on learning and exploring." \nThe Mathers Museum now has four major exhibits on display. \nIndividuals can walk freely through the museum to explore and examine the photo gallery of South American Carnival celebrations. Visitors are also welcome and encouraged to view the World Music exhibit. This particular gallery displays more than 150 musical instruments from every continent in the world. But this exhibit does not merely tie the common bonds between the different types of music and musical instrument together. It goes a step further in examining the different uses of music in different cultures. \nVisitors are then lured into the "Comparative Technology: A to Z exhibit." From automobiles to clay pots, this exhibit links the various tools the human race has needed to survive throughout history.\nIt is in this exhibit that children, and those young at heart, are welcome to play in small scale dwellings of African and South American cultures. \nComing attractions to the Mathers Museum include an exhibit on Pacific cultures. Matt Sieber, co-curator of exhibits, said this exhibit will have a variety of aspects. \n"This 'Oceania' experience will include an outrigger canoe built by IU graduate student, Charles Reafsnyder," Sieber states. "Also, starting with this exhibit, we are going to be integrating more interactive technology, like computer kiosks and slide shows."\nAnother coming attraction to the museum is one that examines the anthropology of the body. Laura Hohman, museum registrar, said this exhibit will include everything from what people wear and why, to tattooing and body piercing. \n"This is going to be a fun one because people will get to see the progression of the standards we as a human race hold for the body and clothing," Hohman said.\nThe museum also offers tours free of charge for school and community groups. The museum staff said it will work with groups to provide a fun and educational experience.\n"The Mathers museum is a great place for anyone to come and play," Elaine said. "It's visually stimulating, it's mentally stimulating, and it's just a lot of fun."\nThe William Hammond Mathers Museum is located at 416 N. Indiana Avenue, and is open Tuesdays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 1pm to 4:30 p.m.