The staten island museum will build a collaborative approach to the stewardship of the native american and indigenous collections in its care

The Staten Island Museum received a $496,921 Museums for America (CFDA 45.301) grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to build a collaborative approach to the stewardship of the museum's Native American and Indigenous collections. Through this project, the museum will work directly with Lenape representatives to catalog the Lenape archaeology collection of nearly 3,500 artifacts found on Staten Island and surrounding areas. The grant will support the hiring of a part-time collections assistant and a museum fellow to increase the care and accessibility of the collection while respecting the cultural and spiritual significance of the artifacts. This project aims to preserve the museum's Native American and Indigenous collections and strengthen the partnership between the museum and the Lenape community.

Museum staff will work directly with lenape representatives to catalog the lenape archaeology collection and ensure appropriate handling, storage, and interpretation. The collection contains nearly 3,500 artifacts found on staten island and surrounding areas, part of the traditional homeland of the lenape people. The museum will host advisory meetings with lenape representatives to gain insight regarding the cultural and spiritual significance of the artifacts. The project will support the hiring of a part-time collections assistant and a museum fellow. This project will increase the care of the collection while allowing the museum to make the collection as accessible to the public as possible in a way that respects the heritage and significance of the artifacts.