Traveling Smithsonian Exhibition Coming to Kearney

 The Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street, in cooperation with Missouri Humanities Council, presents “Crossroads: Change in Rural America.” The exhibition examining the evolving landscape of rural American opens at the Mid-Continent Public Library Kearney Branch on Friday, May 10, 2024. “Crossroads” will be on view through Friday, June 21, 2024. 

Mid-Continent Public Library Kearney Branch and the surrounding community has been expressly chosen by the Missouri Humanities Council to host “Crossroads” as part of the Museum on Main Street program—a national/state/local partnership to bring exhibitions and programs to rural cultural organizations. The exhibition will tour 6 communities in Missouri from September 15, 2023 through June 21, 2024; an itinerary is attached. 

“Crossroads” explores how rural American communities changed in the 20th century. From sea to shining sea, the vast majority of the United States landscape remains rural with only 3.5% of the landmass considered urban. Since 1900, the percentage of Americans living in rural areas dropped from 60% to 17%. The exhibition looks at that remarkable societal change and how rural Americans responded.

Americans have relied on rural crossroads for generations. These places where people gather to exchange goods, receive services and culture and to engage in community discussions are an important part of our cultural fabric. “‘Crossroads’ allows us to reflect on Kearney’s rich history, vibrant present and we are excited to explore what the future may hold for our community,” said Gerri Spencer, Kearney Historic Museum Director and Angela Gillette, Mid-Continent Public Library Kearney Branch Manager.

“We want to convene conversations about what makes our community unique and have developed local exhibits and public programs to complement the Smithsonian exhibition.”

The exhibition is part of Museum on Main Street, a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation, and local host institutions. To learn more about “Crossroads” and other Museum on Main Street exhibitions, visit www.museumonmainstreet.org.  

Support for MoMS has been provided by the U.S. Congress. SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 65 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play. For exhibition description and tour schedules, visit www.sites.si.edu.

KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story