What are museums?

The term museum comes from mouseion, institution of the muses, and often refers to the Mouseion of Alexandria built in 309 BC. A home to poetry, art, and science where, it is said that, 1000 scholars would convene at any one time. Museums today are places that preserve art, ethnographic, and natural history. More than collections, museums interpret history for the general public. But current museums are not enough. They are often either very general or unrelated to the Hmong. Without a dedicated museum to curate, collect, share Hmong stories, and expand upon Hmong muses, many of us will never see the important correspondences between Hmong and American CIA agents or gain a deeper understanding of our traditions, language, and culture. In private hands and collections, Hmong history is invisible.

That is why a Hmong Museum is needed. Our mission is to build Hmong consciousness through collections of Hmong objects, art, oral tradition, and life experiences. It is time, now, to come together, purposefully and begin the Hmong Museum.