Preview of March 23, 2016

Washington’s Oldest Museum is Becoming Washington’s Newest Museum
Speaker: Dr. Julie K. Stein, Executive Director

Founded in 1885 and declared the Washington State Museum in 1899, the Burke is the oldest museum in Washington. The Museum’s founders began collecting natural and cultural objects as they watched frontier-era Seattle transform before their eyes. For 130 years, the museum built upon this legacy, amassing millions of objects that show us how the Northwest has grown and changed. From its humble beginnings, the Burke has grown into the premier center for learning about the Pacific Northwest.

Executive Director Julie Stein will share stories of the Burke’s impact and reach—locally, regionally, and globally. She’ll also give a sneak preview of the Burke’s plans to completely upend the idea of a traditional museum where collections, researchers and artists are on one side of the wall, and exhibits are on the other.

SHORT PROGRAM: Discoveries in Geosciences (DIG) Field School
Speaker: Brody Hovatter, Assistant Director

The DIG Field School is a unique, non-profit program from the UW’s Burke Museum which takes K-12 teachers on field research with UW paleontologists. The mission is to connect STEM teachers with scientific research and researchers through ongoing professional development and teaching curricula - fossils spark student (and teacher!) interest and provide a fun and exciting way to engage with science, including field research methods, critical thinking, and examining evidence.