Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street

We're excited to share an episode from our host Hannah Hethmon's podcast Museums in Strange Places. Back in 2019, Museums in Strange Places featured the amazing work of the Smithsonian's state and local partners in rural communities. Starting in Moreland, Georgia (pop. 382) in 1994, the Smithsonian, state humanities councils and local history organizations began a collaboration called Museum on Main Street to bring traveling exhibitions and humanities progams to rural communities. Since that kick-off nearly 30 years ago, more than 2,000 communities (with a median population of 8,300) have participated in the program.

Museum on Main Street is all about local history: rural communities use a Smithsonian exhibition and humanities scholars in their state to immerse their visitors in the stories that make their hometowns unique. In 2011, the program launched Stories from Main Street -- the story collection initiative that helps power this podcast -- to elevate and preserve rural voices and perspectives on important topics.

Did you know that about half of the museums in the United States are in small towns? American history and culture is everywhere! Enjoy this look at the work, resourcefulness, creativity, joy and pride our communities bring to the project.

Be sure to listen to Museums in Strange Places where you get your podcasts or at: https://pod.link/1296895315

Museums in Strange Places and Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street are produced by Better Lemon Creative Audio. Hannah Hethmon is your host.