Chipping Away at the Colonialist Lens

Abstract

Historic St. Mary’s City, an outdoor living history museum and research center, has been working on realigning its site narrative from a historically colonialist perspective towards a more inclusive, community-driven interpretive scheme. Two projects exemplify the development of this effort since 2018: the design of a long-term exhibition for a new visitor center and a collaborative initiative sparked by the archaeological discovery of the 1634 St. Mary’s Fort. These efforts have not been without missteps. This essay recounts the progress to date of HSMCC’s work to responsibly build partnerships with our community.