This quarter at DePaul University, I've been lucky enough to have a class taught by the chief historian at the Chicago History Museum, engaging in work related to the potential career opportunities as a museum exhibitionist.
The Chicago History Museum is a museum that revolves around what it sounds like: the history of Chicago and using it to interpret the past, present and future. Located at the southern end of Lincoln Park, it is often overshadowed by its neighbors in the Loop, such as the Art Institute, Field Museum, Adler Planetarium and many others.
At the center of my studies at CHM is the museum's newest exhibit "American Medina," which tells the voices of Muslim Chicagoans and demonstrates that among other titles, Chicago is a Muslim city. Whether they are young or old, black or Arab, a lawyer or an artist, "American Medina" shows how the Muslim faith is a driving force of people's identity and ambition in life.
One of the amazing minds that have contributed to this exhibit is Trinidad Castillo, a Christian-turned Muslim who found peace and a new understanding of life when discovering Islam. He created the stunningly vivid mural pictured in this article's header, that combines his love for both the Muslim faith and his native Chicago.
You have the opportunity to see the all-new "American Medina" exhibit until 2021, plus the rest of the dazzling exhibits that await you at CHM. Not only does CHM tell the stories of Chicago, it tells the stories of Chicago that have been previously unheard, especially in museum spaces.
Exhibits like "American Medina" demonstrate the importance of public history and museums. Historically, museums have seen as elitist institutions and symbols of colonization; these ethical dilemmas have bothered museum accession for centuries.
This has led museums to rethink their place in an increasingly diverse society. Especially in an era where misinformation is just as abundant as information itself, museums are more crucial than ever to provide a medium for voices that have been silenced and demonized in recent years.
This means not only visiting the museums you know more often but also the museums that you might not even know exist. If you're in Chicago, there's the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen and the Chinese American Museum in Chinatown, just to name a couple.
We owe it in part to museums for their work in preserving voices that feel endangered everyday. If you have the time, or are thinking of things to do on a Saturday, consider visiting and appreciating a museum near you.