GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids Public Museum has brought back its longtime core exhibit on Michigan’s Indigenous peoples after nearly two years of work, with a redesigned Anishinaabek: The Original People of This Place opening to visitors Monday.
The core exhibit of three decades closed on Jan. 5, 2025. In the time since, it was completely redesigned, with museum staff working alongside the Eshtoojik (the ones who create) Advisory Council and Indigenous community members.
The new version adds interactive screens, holographic imagery and LED panels, along with vibrant natural elements, Grand River connections, sensory experiences and works by Anishinaabe artists. The theme of the exhibit is We Are Still Here, and it looks at the past, present and future of the Anishinaabe people of Michigan.
A powwow celebrated the reopening Saturday evening, as hundreds of Michigan tribal citizens and allies gathered and filled all three floors of the museum ahead of the official Monday opening, which falls on Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
The exhibit is located on the third floor of the museum. For groups and classes, the museum also offers an Educator’s Guide with multidisciplinary activities built around the exhibit’s highlights.
