Cultural Council funds Native American program

Rochester – The Rochester Cultural Council has awarded $589 in funding to support the Native American Educational Outreach Project at the Robbins Museum of Archaeology, located at 17 Jackson St. in Middleborough.

Funding from the Rochester Cultural Council will cover the costs of transportation to and admission at the museum for local third-grade students and their teachers who wish to visit the Robbins Museum.

Exhibits at the museum cover over 10,000 years of Native American history and culture, and, according to Robbins Museum education liaison Mary Concannon, contextualize instruction on Massachusetts history, providing insight into and understanding of the dynamic role Native Americans have played in shaping our Commonwealth.

“The Robbins is the only museum dedicated to Native American history in Massachusetts,” Concannon said. “A key goal of our programming is to make our exhibits and educational materials relevant to students and easy-to-use by educators. So, if teachers want to book a tour, we will work with them to find a day and time that fits within their schedules and meets their learning goals.”

Visits are part of the Museum’s Artifacts and Archaeology program, and will include a tour of the museum, hands-on activities, and the opportunity for students to handle and analyze Native American artifacts. Information on how the Native American Educational Outreach Project connects to the Massachusetts Frameworks can be found at www.massarchaeology.org/foreducators.

The museum is open Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To schedule a tour during these or other hours or for more information, contact the Robbins Museum Education Department at 508-947-9005 or e-mail to: education@massarchaeology.org

The Native American Educational Outreach Project has been funded by a grant from the A.D. Makepeace Fund of Wareham. The Middleborough Cultural Council is a local body supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. To learn more about the Robbins Museum go online to: www.massarcheology.org. Send inquiries to: info@massarcheology.org.