Press Release

Oklahoma Humanities (OH) is proud to announce the Smithsonian is coming to Oklahoma in 2021. In partnership with the Smithsonian Institution, OH will select six rural Oklahoma communities to host the traveling exhibit, Crossroads: Change in Rural America, as part of the Museum on Main Street (MoMS) program.  Museums, libraries, historical societies, and other cultural organizations in communities with populations of up to 20,000 are invited to apply for this exhibit that explores rural life.  The tour will take place between September 2021 and June 2022.

“We are honored to host the Smithsonian in Oklahoma and partner with local organizations to showcase the diversity and culture of our rural communities” said Caroline Lowery, OH Executive Director.  “This rare and significant opportunity will provide hosting organizations the power of the Smithsonian brand to catalyze lasting community improvement and increase economic impacts.”

This cultural programming opportunity valued at $15,000 per community is offered free of charge.  Hosting a MoMS exhibit offers communities an opportunity to increase visitation, visibility, and civic pride.  Host sites will be selected based on geographic location, evidence of strong community support, ideas for supplemental programming, and physical event space.  OH staff may conduct site visits to collect additional information prior to the final host site selections. 

Additional information about the Crossroads exhibit and a link to the online application can be found at okhumanities.org.  The deadline for application submissions is September 30, 2020.  For questions, contact Kelly Burns, OH Program Officer, at kelly@okhumanities.org. 

About the Exhibit

The Crossroads exhibit pays tribute to rural identity, land, community, persistence, and managing change.  It also acknowledges that living and working in rural America has never been easy. It takes a commitment of time, sweat, and economic risk to live in the country.  The exhibit acts as a catalyst for conversations regarding education, demographic change, access to services, agriculture, commerce, and infrastructure.

The Crossroads exhibit consists of 6 free-standing, double-sided panels and one interactive digital kiosk. The layout and design allow each site to maximize the amount of Smithsonian content in the smallest possible space. The exhibit takes up 750 square feet, and a minimum ceiling height of 8 feet is required.