Local and global history both featured at CWU museum this spring

This spring, history is the Central focus at the Central Washington University Museum of Culture & Environment (MCE), where two new exhibits showcase important stories of local and global history.

In the MCE’s main gallery, visitors will see Through the Empress’s Wardrobe: Power and Style in 19^th Century Russia. Near the turn of the 20th century, Russia was undergoing cultural change that threatened the status of imperial society and the authority of Russia’s imperial court to rule over the land.

During this historical moment, the clothing choices of imperial court women were deliberate—intended to show the court’s deep connection to Russia’s past, as well as their wealth and status. In this exhibit, visitors will be able to view faithful reproductions of the clothing of Empress Maria Feodorovna, who strategically used fashion to navigate Russia’s complicated political dynamics.

Through the Empress’s Wardrobe was curated by CWU History graduate student Naomi Whiting, who also designed and sewed the dresses after nine months of research into historical images, fabrics, and sewing techniques.

Whiting reports that the three gowns in the exhibit are made up of 72.5 yards of fabric and materials were sourced from the U.S., England, Czechia, and Greece. When asked how long it took to sew the gowns, Whiting responded, “I have no idea how many hours have gone into this and, honestly, I don't really want to know, it's gonna be a scary big number.”

Join Whiting for a special tour on Thursday, May 16, at noon, as part of CWU’s 2024 Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE).

A second exhibit at the MCE this quarter is titled Bringing the World to Ellensburg: The College Elementary School Collection. In the 1930s, the women teaching at then-Central Washington College of Education’s CES (College Elementary School) needed to raise funds—but, at the same time, they wanted their work to have “real educational value.”

The instructors developed a community-oriented event called Festival of Nations, which brought together CES schoolchildren, CWCE faculty and students, and the Kittitas County community in a celebration of cultural diversity. At 10 cents a ticket, visitors to the Festival of Nations saw museum exhibits, attended performances, and played games associated with the global cultures studied by CES schoolchildren.

Visitors to this exhibit will see objects collected by CES students as they learned about cultural diversity around the globe and within their community. 

Through the Empress’s Wardrobe and Bringing the World to Ellensburg will be display through June 8. The MCE, located in Dean Hall on the CWU campus, is open Wednesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To learn more about these and other exhibits, email museum@cwu.edu or call 509-963-2313.