Submitted by
Bristow Historical Society
Many of you are aware of the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC. Established in 1846, this huge museum complex hosts over 30 million visitors annually and has an annual budget of over $1.25 billion dollars. Recognizing the need to reach people outside of the DC area, the Smithsonian offers traveling displays to share with visitors in all corners of the US.
Your very own Bristow Historical Society has been selected to be a Host Site for the Smithsonian’s Voices and Votes: Democracy in American exhibition in 2024! Voices and Votes is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and the Oklahoma Humanities. Bristow is one of only six Oklahoma locations to be selected for this program. Museum volunteers attended training sessions in November and are beginning preparations for this once-in-a-lifetime visit. 80 percent of the museum’s displays will be taken down to make room for this dynamic exhibition, which will feature historical and contemporary photos, educational and archival video, engaging multimedia interactives with short games and additional footage, photos, and information, and historical objects like campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material. It is the goal of this major Smithsonian exhibition to engage the community and remind each of the importance of voting, one of the greatest responsibilities of all Americans. From the revolution and suffrage to civil rights and casting ballots, everyone in every community is part of this ever-evolving story – the story of democracy in America.
The exhibition will be in Bristow for six weeks this summer from June 1 st through July 13 th , 2024 and crowds of several thousands are expected, in addition to the normal summer rush. The economic impact should be significant for our community, as studies show that every dollar invested in the cultural sector produces an $8to-$1 return and over 65% of these visitors will visit at least one other local business.
These crowds will also get to enjoy Bristow’s beautiful depot, which turns 100 years old next year.
Bristow Mayor Kris Wyatt, the City Council and city workers are working hard to make repairs to the exterior of the depot in preparation for this event and the depot volunteers are preparing for their biggest summer ever.
Extra volunteers will be needed during this six-week period next summer so please watch for more information about that opportunity to give back to your community… but get ready Bristow – the Smithsonian is coming to town