📅 Through March 3rd, 2024
⏰ Daily, 10 am – 5 pm
📍Museum of History & Industry: 860 Terry Ave N, Seattle
🎟 $0 – $22
Through March 3rd, 2024
Gather ’round and listen up for the story of the Three Sisters. These three sisters are known as beans, corn, and squash, and by planting them together, or “interplanting,” each “sister” nourishes the others, flourishing and thriving more than they would on their own. The corn is planted first, establishing roots and growing long stalks that act as supports for the beans’ vines. These beans help add nitrogen to the soil. And speaking of soil, protecting it from water loss and weeds are the broad leaves of squash that grow underneath and between them both.
“Three Sisters” planting is an age-old Indigenous agricultural practice that helped sustain entire communities, however, the tenets behind it are still very relevant today. Now running through March 3rd, you can further delve into this idea at Roots of Wisdom: Native Knowledge. Shared Science, which explores how Indigenous knowledge and scientific advancement can work together to tackle current-day issues affecting our environment.
Roots of Wisdom is set to have interactive displays, immersive experiences, and videos that celebrate “the enduring wisdom of Native cultures while highlighting their contribution to scientific inquiry,” according to MOHAI. Catch ancient lampreys from a waterfall, help restore a Hawaiian fishpond, learn how to grow and gather native plants, and weave your own river cane basket pattern.
Here’s a rundown of all the exhibits and their sources of knowledge:
🏞️ Saving Streams and Wildlife: Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
🐟 Restoring Fish Ponds: Native Hawaiians
🌽 Rediscovering Traditional Foods: Tulalip Tribes
🧺 Reestablishing a Native Plant: Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Admission to the exhibit is included in general admission to the Museum of History & Industry.
MOHAI is an innovative museum where historical exploration inspires people to create a better future for themselves and their communities.
