Museum Without Walls

New Project Proposal--Working Title “How We See It: The University District in 2011"

2010-09-04T23:28:00Z

      We are delighted that Dr Lorraine McConaghy, Public Historian at the Museum of History & Industry, Seattle, is proposing that University District Museum Without Walls work with her class on a new project in early 2011. Her UW Museology class, "Oral History Research Methods," scheduled for Winter Qtr, 2011, will give students the chance to conduct an oral history project to document the experiences and perspectives of people who live and work in the U District. Students will conduct digital video or audio interviews of about one hour each which will be transcribed and with rights assigned to the Seattle Public Library. Interviews will conform to the standards set by the Oral History Association and the Society of American Archivists.

     The UDMWW committee will assist the class in developing categories of perspectives and experiences that should be represented and in identifying individuals willing to be interviewed. The library will house this collection at the Main and University Branches along with the oral history DVD already produced by Museum Without Walls. Additionally, Museum Without Walls may extend the project by continuing to record interviews or by producing a DVD, documentary, podcast, publication, walking tour, signage or exhibit.

     Beyond these goals, we hope to generate a sense of community, identity and ownership within the University District through the participation of a group of its citizens. Ideally, the first phase of the project will end with a reception for all participants to meet one another.

Exhibit Moved to Main UW Campus

2010-02-05T20:23:00Z

The Open to Question exhibit was first moved close to Meany Hall and then onto Red Square on the University of Washington campus. It's situated outside the Undergraduate Library near the air duct towers. Many thanks to Prof Kristine Matthews and Theresa Doherty for negotiating the move. The exhibit will be in place at least through December 2010.

Exhibit Award and New Home

2009-09-11T04:59:00Z

    Our exhibit, Open to Question, has won an Award of Excellence from this year's UCDA Design Competition. The UCDA (University and College Designers Association) awards the best works created either for or by educational institutions. Congratulations to Prof. Kristine Matthews and her Fall 2008 design students for their achievement.

    After negotiations with the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, the University of Washington Office of Regional Affairs has taken ownership of the Open to Question outdoor exhibit as of September 5, 2009. It has been moved to the breezeway between the two Allen Library buildings (west of the HUB and east of Red Square) where it will continue to be open to the public at no charge through Winter quarter.

    Three hundred copies of the Open to Question oral histories DVD have been made and are being distributed. The Seattle Public Library has cataloged 6 copies and shelved them at the Main, University and Green Lake Branches. These interviews with 12 residents who were peace and anti-war activists during the 1960's and 1970's are also available online at YouTube.

    An Educator's Guide to the Open to Question outdoor exhibit is now available to teachers of high school and college students. For copies, please contact Layla Taylor or William Larrimore.

The photo shows Nancy Amidei leading a discussion of activism during this summer's University District Street Fair.

Screening of Open to Question: Voices from the University District

2009-05-03T00:30:00Z

On April 25, Layla Taylor, Programs Project Manager for U District Museum Without Walls, led a public screening and round table at University Heights Community Center. The meeting began with a very engaging short sampler of Dawnee Dodson's video oral history, Open to Question: Voices From the University District, followed by one hour of hearty musings on activism movements in the 60s and what is going on today. Those audience members who stuck around and contributed to the conversation brought in some thoughtful questions and ideas about what works and doesn't work when groups and individuals attempt to create change today. All in all, it was a good continuation of a conversation we started with the Open to Question Exhibit and we hope everyone took away with them ideas and discussion points to continue debating in their own circles.

Our next event will be Taking it to the Street Fair! on May 17. This will be a civic-engagement project in which Nancy Amidei will lead U District activists from the past and present in an engaging impromptu conversation. Jump in and share your own stories. 1:00pm and 3:30pm at the University District Street Fair (Brooklyn Avenue NE and NE 42nd Street.)

Open To Question Exhibit Opens

2009-04-12T22:17:00Z

The opening night reception for Open To Question, Activism in Seattle's University District, was held on April 3rd at the UW Tower and was free and open to the public. More than 200 people attended the event which featured wine and refreshments and a program in the mezzanine theater.

Councilmember Larry Gosset opened the program by talking about his part in the founding of the Black Student Union at the UW during the time the exhibit addresses. Mr. Gosset, a prolific writer, dynamic speaker, administrator and political activist is dedicated to the cause of equal rights and economic freedom for all people.

Following Mr. Gossett, Teresa Lord Hugel, Director, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, welcomed visitors to the opening and she was followed by Susan Coleman, Karen Ko and Patty Whisler who acknowledged the work of the University District Museum Without Walls Steering Committee.

Next, Layla Taylor, Exhibit and Programs Manager, introduced Paul Dorpat who presented a slideshow of some highlights in the history of Seattle and the U District specifically. Three of Mr. Dorpat's thirteen publications are collections of his columns that have appeared weekly in the Sunday Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Magazine since Jan 17, 1982. His interesting slideshow was enlivened by spontaneous comments from the audience.

Upcoming free public programs include

April 25, 2:00 to 4:30pm: Screening of Open To Question: Voices from the University District. Watch interviews with University District activists from the '60's to the present and share your own stories about neighborhood changes over the years at a community roundtable.
May 17, 1:00 and 3:30pm: Taking it to the Street Fair! Civic engagement project leader Nancy Amidei leads U District activists from the past and present in an engaging impromptu conversation. Jump in and share you own stories. University Street Fair, Brooklyn Ave NE and NE 42nd Street.
May 28, 12:00 to 2:00pm. Activist for a New Century. Join Nancy Amidei in a conversation exploring the new roles and ways of activism today. University Heights Center, University Way NE between NE 50th and NE 52nd Streets.

OPEN TO QUESTION: Activism in Seattle's University District

2009-03-21T02:38:00Z

Outdoor Exhibit and Oral Histories Capture Spirit of Community Activism in University District

University District Museum Without Walls (UDMWW) presents

Open to Question: Activism in Seattle’s University District, April 4 – May 30, 2009

Seattle – A piano fell from the sky, thousands took to the streets to protest racial inequality and an endless war, a street fair was born, and an underground rag called the Helix covered it all and more. This snapshot of how two turbulent decades – the 1960s and '70s – left their mark on Seattle history is more relevant today than it has been in years.

A new outdoor exhibit highlights a critical period of social and political activism in Seattle's University District neighborhood, and asks viewers to examine the impact that history has on the present. The exhibit, Open to Question: Activism in Seattle’s University District, opens to the public on April 4, 2009, at the north plaza of the University of Washington (UW) Tower (corner of Brooklyn Avenue N.E. and N.E. 45th Street). Using historical images and an innovative graphic presentation, Open to Question tells a story of dissent and reconciliation that has shaped one of Seattle's most vibrant communities. Designed by visual communication design students at the UW, it will be on display until May 30.

A free, public opening-night reception will be held on April 3 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at UW Tower. At 6 p.m., King County Councilmember Larry Gossett, a founder of the UW Black Student Union, will kick off the reception. At 6:30 p.m., Paul Dorpat, noted Seattle photographer and historian, will present a retrospective slideshow highlighting his years in the University District as an editor of the Helix.

A preview of video oral histories documenting some of the most outspoken voices in Seattle's social and political movements, will also be on view at the reception. The oral histories will be compiled on DVD as a companion piece to the exhibit, and will be made available online, at the Seattle Public Library, and as part of a UDMWW archive. The compilation includes a dozen interviews; subjects include Matt Fox, director of operations at ROOTS; Ray Chinn, the first Asian American to be voted into University District Rotary; Meghan Cornish, one of the first women hired by Seattle City Light; and Stephen Herold, former owner of the anarchist Id Bookstore.

To complement Open to Question, a series of free public programs that further explore social activism in Seattle and the University District are scheduled throughout April and May:

April 25: Screening of Open to Question: Voices from the University District. Watch interviews with University District activists from the '60s to the present, and share your own stories during a community roundtable about neighborhood changes over the years. 2-4:30 p.m., University Heights Center (University Way N.E. between N.E. 50th and N.E. 52nd Streets).

May 17: Taking it to the Street Fair! Civic-engagement project leader Nancy Amidei leads U District activists from the past and present in an engaging impromptu conversation. Jump in and share your own stories. 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., University District Street Fair (Brooklyn Avenue N.E. and N.E. 42nd Street).

May 28: Activism for a New Century. Join Nancy Amidei in a conversation exploring the new roles and ways of activism today. 12-2 p.m., University Heights Center.

The Open to Question exhibit and oral history project are funded by the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, University District Rotary, University of Washington Office of Regional Affairs, University of Washington College of Arts and Sciences, and Simpson Center for the Humanities. They are projects of the University District Museum Without Walls (UDMWW), which is sponsored by the Greater University Chamber of Commerce and the University District Arts and Heritage Committee.

For details on the Open to Question exhibit and oral-history project, visit OpenToQuestion.org.

For more information about the University District Museum Without Walls (UDMWW) and related projects, visit UDistrict Museum Without Walls.

University District Highlights Community History

2009-02-05T05:39:00Z

Exhibit, oral histories, public programs part of " U District Museum Without Walls"

April, May 2009

Seattle—Community history is the focus of several upcoming projects driven by the University District MuseumWithout Walls (UDMWW).

An outdoor exhibit highlighting the history of social and political activism in the University District during the 1960s and 70s opens to the public on April 4, 2009, at the north plaza of the University of Washington Tower (corner of N.E. 45th Street and Brooklyn Avenue N.E.). The exhibit, Open to Question: Activism in the U District, Opening Doors From the 60s to the Present , uses historical images to tell a story of dissent and reconciliation that has shaped one of Seattle's most vibrant communities. The outdoor exhibit was designed by visual communications design students at the University of Washington and will be on display until May 30.

Video oral histories, documenting some of the most outspoken voices in various social and political movements of the past several decades, will accompany the exhibit, and will be made available online and as part of an archive. Over a dozen interviews have already been conducted with members of the University District community.

Free public programs, including an opening reception and presentation by Seattle historian Paul Dorpat, a facilitated oral history panel and roundtable featuring notable figures in University District history, and two brown-bag lunch discussions about the importance of social activism today, will be held during April and May.

UDMWW has been funded by a Department of Neighborhoods Large Projects Matching Fund and a donation by the University District Rotary, with additional support from the University of Washington and the Greater University Chamber of Commerce. UDMWW is a project organized by the University District Arts and Heritage Committee.

Youth Poster Contest

2008-11-06T20:55:00Z

University District Museum Without Walls (UDMWW)

wants your artwork on our exhibit poster

Put your styles to work for a community cause.

Check it out!

Youth Poster Contest: Call for Submissions

The Exhibit: Open to Question: A History of Social, Political, and Community Activism in Seattle’s University District, April and May 2009, University Tower

Open to Question is a temporary, outdoor exhibit that uses historical photographs, oral histories, and interactive displays to tell the story of activism in the University District from the 1960s to the present. Viewers will learn how the neighborhood’s current reputation for openness and tolerance for a variety of lifestyles stems from the period during the 1960s and 1970s during which the University District community was quite active in demonstrating for social justice, equality, and peace.

The Poster: Create a drawing or collage inspired by the one or more of the questions below or your own reflections on social activism in the University District. Use any combination of pencil, black pen, color markers and paper. Use images, words, and symbols to communicate what you want to say. Go deep. Be bold. The winning drawing will be chosen by members of the University District Arts and Heritage Committee and a jury of artists/designers in January 2009. The winning drawing will be featured on the Open to Question exhibit poster, which will be on display throughout the U District, as well as on public relations and interpretive materials. Important note: All submissions meeting the guidelines below, will be on public display at the Open to Question exhibit opening reception in April 2009. All artists will be invited to attend.

What do you have to say? Reflect. React. Realize.

What causes were worth fighting for yesterday? What causes are worth fighting for today?

What ways can people show they care about an issue?

What does the word "activism" mean in 2008?

Contest Guidelines

You must be between the ages of 15-21
Use any combination of pencil, black pen (any width), color markers (any width), and paper
Artwork must fit onto 8 1/2 X 11 sheet of white paper
Each artwork must be accompanied by a completed Artist Information Form
Maximum two drawings per person
Cannot accept three-dimensional artwork
Pornographic, graphically violent and derogatory content toward any race, ethnicity or gender will not be considered

Your Submission(s)

How: Place each drawing and Artist Information Form together in large envelope. DO NOT FOLD YOUR DRAWING. One drawing and form per envelope.

When: All submissions are due by December 31, 2008

Where: Mail or bring your submissions to University District Neighborhood Service Center, ATTN. UDMWW Youth Poster Contest, 4534 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105. Hours: 10am to 6pm, M - F, and 10am to 2pm on Saturday.

Why: Because you believe in something. Because you have something to say. Make a statement.

For more information and electronic copies of the Youth Poster Contest Call for Submissions and Artist Information Form, please contact Layla Taylor, Exhibit and Programs Project Manager at LaylaSTaylor@gmail.com.

Next UDistrict Museum Without Walls Community Meeting

2008-10-21T21:40:00Z

What: University District Museum Without Walls - Community Meeting - Learn more about upcoming social activism exhibit, oral histories collection project, and other programs and events. Get involved! Bring your friends. Refreshments provided.

When: Tuesday, November 18, 7-9pm
Where: Hotel Deca, 4507 Brooklyn Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105
Directions on Hotel Deca website: http://www.hoteldeca.com/deca_directions.aspx

--
Layla Taylor laylastaylor@gmail.com
Exhibition and Programs Project Manager
University District Museum Without Walls

Press Release: University District Arts and Heritage Committee to Launch “Museum Without Walls”

2008-08-06T17:20:00Z

Committee awarded over $60,000 in grant money to fund project

Seattle—The University District Arts and Heritage Committee has been awarded $54,912 from the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods and $6,000 from 4Culture to execute an interdisciplinary project known as “Museum Without Walls” that will draw together the history and cultural life of Seattle's University District.

A Department of Neighborhoods Large Projects Matching Fund will fund the University District Museum Without Walls project as it launches its first year of exhibits, events, and other projects. In spring 2009, Museum Without Walls will install a temporary exhibit on the outdoor plaza of the University Tower (formerly Safeco Tower) called Open to Question: Social, Political, and Community Activism in Seattle’s University District. A number of associated programs, open to the public, will occur in conjunction with the exhibit that will encourage community participation in a discussion about the historical and contemporary meanings of activism in the University District.

The Department of Neighborhoods award will also fund the recording of a number of new oral histories with University District residents. The Museum Without Walls project will use oral histories to explore and showcase the diversity of the neighborhood and will capture some of the most interesting and hidden stories in the University District. The oral histories will be available online starting this winter at museumwithoutwalls.udistrict.org/.

4Culture has awarded $6,000 to the Museum Without Walls project to create a set of collectible, tradable cards, highlighting the history of the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition. The cards will be distributed at AYP commemoration events and other community events in the spring and summer of 2009.

In addition to $60,000 in grant money, the University District Museum Without Walls project has also raised $7,500 from a generous donation by the University District Rotary Club. The Rotary money will be used to fund the oral history recordings and the collectible cards, as well as sculptural tribute to the AYP in summer 2009.

The University District Arts and Heritage Committee welcome volunteers to help with Museum Without Walls. Please contact susancoleman2@aol.com for more information.

Award Presentation from the City of Seattle

2008-07-22T18:28:51Z

On July 19, 2008, the City of Seattle presented its Neighborhood Matching Fund Large Projects awards to several community groups at the Rainier Valley Cultural Center. Receiving the award for the University District Museum Without Walls group from Councilman Tim Burgess and Mayor Greg Nickels were Susan Coleman and William Larrimore. The Elspeth Savani Cuban Quartet provided some great music while the Kallaloo Caribbean Creole Cuisine catering service supplied wonderful dishes from the islands.

President Charles Odegaard Speaks to UW Students

2008-03-11T02:34:00Z

Charles E. Odegaard was president of the University of Washington from 1958-1973. During his tenure, he helped double student enrollment, oversaw construction of 35 new buildings, and helped define the UW as a prestigious research and teaching institution.

President Odegaard was generally willing to listen to student concerns and believed in freedom of speech on campus. Although he did not tolerate violence or radical protests, he was otherwise supportive of student activism.

In the photo below, President Odegaard speaks to 7,000 UW students on May 5, 1970 who had gathered at Red Square to protest the shootings at Kent State University. Odegaard closed the university on May 6 for a “day of reflection.” He was also one of 37 American university presidents to send a telegram to President Nixon asking for immediate withdrawal from Vietnam and Cambodia.

Picture of the Week: UW Students Protest the Kent State Shootings

2008-02-22T21:32:00Z

Well, it’s been a bit busy lately, writing grants, meeting people around the neighborhood, and making plans for our first two Museum Without Walls projects: a temporary exhibit about activism and an oral history project with University District residents. But, I’m back on the blog and even though Photo of the Week may be more like Photo of the Every-Other-Week from now on, I still have lots of great photos to share. In fact, to make up for falling behind, I’ve got two photos this week!

This week’s pictures were taken on May 5, 1970, the day after four students were killed at Kent State University in Ohio by National Guardsman for protesting the bombing of Cambodia by President Nixon. University of Washington students, like many other students around the country, called for their school to take stand against the shooting and against the Vietnam War.

That morning, thousands of students gathered in Red Square for a rally. Many people, like the man shown here, spoke to the crowd about why University of Washington students should protest the Cambodia bombings and the Kent State shootings. The crowd decided to strike, with the support of President Odegaard, who closed the university the next day.

Later in the day, the rally turned into a march from campus up University Way. This route had been taken before by protesters, and typically ended back on campus, but on that day the crowd headed west towards the freeway. Nearly 5,000 people marched onto Interstate-5 to head to an antiwar rally in downtown Seattle. The picture below shows a stand-off between demonstrators and state troopers in riot gear. The march remained peaceful and the protest eventually left the freeway, but attempts would be made over the next few days to repeat the walk down I-5.

Picture of the Week: The University District Street Fair, 1971

2008-01-23T19:30:00Z

As the 1960s rolled to a close, the University District was facing tense times. Riots in the summer of 1969 and student protests in the spring of 1970 were sources of discontent for many in the neighborhood who worried that divisiveness was dangerously pervasive.

In the late spring of 1970, several members of the community, led by merchant and peace activist Andy Shiga, and business executive Ron Denchfield, formed a committee to plan a neighborhood street fair. The street fair, thought Shiga, would help refocus people’s attention on the positive aspects of the University District, and would celebrate diversity, rather than condone people’s differences.

The first University District Street Fair occurred over the weekend of May 23 and 24, 1970. 50,000 people came and the event was so successful that it became an annual event. Pictured here are vendors and attendees at the second annual Street Fair in 1971.

Interested in this year’s fair (it’s on May 18 and 19 and Museum Without Walls will be there, so mark your calendars)? Visit the Chamber of Commerce’s website to learn more about how to reserve a booth, and which vendors will be attending.

-Julia

Photo Courtesy of the Museum of History and Industry, Seattle Post-Intelligencer Collection

Picture of the Week: Protesters outside the Canwell Committee hearings, 1948

2008-01-15T21:34:00Z

Happy 2008 everyone! This year will bring a lot of exciting projects to the University District and the Museum Without Walls is busy working on getting things ready. We’re back with a new picture of the week, and as always, we welcome your comments and suggestions on our site and our projects!

In 1947, the state of Washington passed legislation that required “all state employees to sign an oath disclaiming membership in organizations that advocated strikes or the overthrow of the government.” This also prompted the formation of a state committee, known as the Canwell Committee, that was modeled after the national House Committee on Un-American Activities and set out to target questionable members of the University of Washington faculty. In 1949, three faculty members were fired and three more placed on probation; this action was the first of its kind during the Cold War.

As shown in the picture, the actions of the Canwell Committee did not sit well with some Seattelites. Even in the context of the Cold War, many recognized that the firing of the three University professors was a violation of civil liberties. Protesters marched in front of the Canwell Committee hearings in 1948, but unfortunately were unsuccessful in reversing the committee’s decision. The three faculty members lost their jobs, and the loyalty oath requirement was not overturned until 1964.

- Julia

Photo courtesy of the Museum of History and Industry, Seattle Post-Intelligencer Collection

"Open to Question" Project and Picture of the Week

2007-12-19T20:50:00Z

Museum Without Walls Updates and Picture of the Week!

Have you been wondering what the people behind the University District Museum Without Walls have been up to lately? Well, we have been busily making plans for five exciting upcoming projects: curating a temporary exhibit, collecting oral histories, creating a set of collectible cards, installing new sculptures, and depicting U-District history on billboards throughout the neighborhood. We are always looking for enthusiastic volunteers and public support so if you want to get involved we have a place for you!

One project that is currently underway is a temporary exhibit that will be installed somewhere in the U-District (location TBD) sometime in the fall of 2008. We are using the working title Open to Question: Social, Political and Community Activism in the University District to describe the exhibit. Open to Question will explore the fascinating history of activism in this neighborhood, with a special focus on the period from 1965-1975. We’ll be using photos, posters, newspapers, oral histories and more to tell this story, so if you have something to contribute, please let us know.

As part of the exhibit process, the Museum Without Walls blog will be featuring a “Picture of the Week” that represents activism in the U- District. Check back every week for a new picture!

The first Picture of the Week honors the spirit of holiday giving and community activism that tends to be on people’s minds in the month of December. In this photo, a University of Washington staff member contributes to a UW Holiday Food Drive for the University District Food Bank.

The University District Food Bank truly embodies the spirit of giving back to the community by serving 850 needy Northeast Seattle families every week. The holidays are an especially good time to consider making a donation to the Food Bank, but donations are needed year round! Contact the Food Bank today and see how you can make a difference in your community.

Happy Holidays and we’ll see you in the New Year!

- Julia

Photograph courtesy of University Week

Have you heard about the Museum Without Walls in Seattle?

2007-08-02T20:06:00Z

Museum Without Walls, conceived by the University District Arts & Heritage Committee, is currently developing an interdisciplinary project that draws together the history and cultural life of Seattle’s University District with temporary exhibitions, walking tours, physical markers, community events, and oral histories.

Phase 1:
Initiated in 2006 and generously supported by the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, the Rotary Club of the University District, and the Greater University Chamber of Commerce, Museum Without Walls seeks to strengthen the fabric of this unique Seattle neighborhood by celebrating its important legacy and bringing neighbors, merchants, students and cultural entities together to build an even more dynamic future.

Last October, the University District Arts & Heritage Committee held a public meeting to gather input from a wide cross-section of citizens about how best to capture and convey this shared history. Murals? Tours? Exhibitions? Storytelling? A book? A map? A website? Could there really be one way to synthesize so many stories, so much history, into a single monument, guide or “happening”? How could we build upon resources that already exist, leverage the work of other entities like the Great University Chamber of Commerce, cultivate new partnerships in the neighborhood, broaden the number of participants in the district’s civic life, and still maintain a strong and exciting focus for the project?

In June, University District Arts & Heritage Committee asked me to help determine the answer to that question, and to bring more concise definition to the project. There was clearly a need to refine and synthesize lots of great ideas, and it became apparent that, in order to reflect so many varied interests, we’d need a kind of “system” of interwoven activities and events to be of greatest value to the community. To that end, we’ve begun to develop a framework for collecting and sharing information, constructing a “kit of parts,” a series of varied showcases through which to celebrate past highlights (both obvious and obscure), and encourage more civic involvement in building the community’s future.

Over the last two months, we’ve been working together to create that kit, a “package” of ideas that will capture and interpret the big, legendary people and events that have shaped and defined the University District from its earliest days, as well as the smaller, personal stories of those who experience life in the University District on a less-than-mythic scale. Through a series of public events, activities and ephemera, we hope to reflect not only monumental milestones, such as the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition of 1909 and the founding of the University, which have clearly informed the neighborhood’s development in major ways, but also to highlight the contributions of the scholars, artists, leaders and everyday people, past and present, who continue to give fascinating and sometimes quirky dimension to the community. Ultimately, we hope this “kit” will encourage ongoing engagement in the civic, cultural, and physical life of the University District, so that its mysteries can continue to unfold for its residents and visitors in intriguing and surprising ways.

Phase 2:
Planning for the Museum Without Walls initiative will continue through October 2007, with a second, implementation phase planned for 2008. Early consensus has formed around an exhibition component (one element of the “kit”) that recognizes and represents the District’s unique history of tolerance, and the accommodation of dissenting views that has characterized the neighborhood over the decades, during sometimes very turbulent times. From anti-war protests and riots in the 1970s to the inclusion and embrace of street youth in the ‘80s and ‘90s, to the celebration of alternative lifestyles that continues today, the University District is a place where pluralism is fiercely defended, a place where every voice can be heard.

Using the working title “Open to Question: a Survey of Dissent in Seattle’s University District,” we are beginning to build the exhibition, which will be installed in late 2008 in one or more centrally located, accessible public spaces near the Ave. At the opening of that exhibition, a year-long roster of scheduled events, activities, programs and commemorative materials will be unveiled.

We are currently working to engage the broadest possible spectrum of neighbors in the development of the exhibition and in the many varied elements of the overall Museum Without Walls project. We need volunteers, writers, researchers, sponsors, and people with stories to tell to help us as we build this substantial community initiative.

How can you help?
You can use this blog to share your perspective; you can contribute photos, archives, and relevant ephemera which may be used in a publication or exhibition; and you can join us during public meetings and presentations to give us the feedback we need to ensure that the project remains fresh and meaningful.

The next public meeting is scheduled for August 16, 2007 at 7pm, at the Watertown at 4242 Roosevelt Avenue NE. The meeting is free and open to the public, and all are invited to attend. Thanks for your interest in Museum Without Walls!

Peggy Weiss
Museum Without Walls Project Advisor, August 1, 2007