The Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC., is a huge museum complex that hosts over 30 million visitors annually and has an annual budget of over $1.25 billion dollars. Recognizing the need to reach people outside of the DC area, the Smithsonian offers traveling displays to share with visitors in all corners of the US.
This summer the Bristow Historical Society is a host site for the Smithsonian’s Voices and Votes: Democracy in American exhibition! Voices and Votes is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and the Oklahoma Humanities. Bristow is one of only six Oklahoma locations to be selected for this program. Most of the Bristow Historical Society’s displays have been taken down and packed up to make room for this dynamic exhibition, which will feature photos, videos, multimedia interactives with short games. The exhibition will showcase historical objects like campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material. It is the goal of this major Smithsonian exhibition to engage the community and remind each citizen of the importance of voting, one of the greatest responsibilities of all Americans. From the revolution and suffrage to civil rights and casting ballots, everyone in every community is part of this ever-evolving story – the story of democracy in America.
Local displays and events will join the Smithsonian’s exhibition in Bristow, such as a Youth Art Show housed at the Bristow Public Library, a Voter’s Registration Drive, and a charitable display of rare documents from our nation’s history from the Scott and Karah Peters Family Collection. All this and more will be happening right here in Bristow this summer, beginning Saturday, June 1, 2024 at 10 a.m. Please enter at the caboose and bring your pocketbook for our gift shop.
We are honored to preserve our local story every day and this summer we bring our friends and neighbors a piece of the Smithsonian. Please contact us for more information or to schedule a group tour by emailing contactus@bristowhistory.org or stopping by the depot during the first week of June.
Get ready – the Smithsonian is HERE in Bristow!
