The Mitchell Indigenous Archaeological Site & Museum offered its thanks recently for the City Council’s continuing annual subsidy. Executive director Christian New said the museum board matched the city subsidy dollar for dollar. “A big part of the grant is allowing us to keep school tours free for any type of school that can come through,” New told the Council. “And just briefly for the numbers, in 2024 we had 808 students come through. Last year we had 1,403 come through. This year we’ve had 1,100 so far with another 500 to 600 expected.”
Plus the museum is planning to catalog its artifacts. “ We have a huge amount of data that’s been pulled up out of the site, whether it’s artifactual material, drawings, photographs, field notes, all of that is being digitized in a centralized database,” said New. “It’s actually being assigned to its pertinent location on a 3D map and model of the dig site.”
New says it’s critical to local researchers as well as opening up as a regional hub for research and education.