As local artists, we were fortunate enough to participate in the “Women 2000” exhibitions, curated by Kim Taylor. This innovative set of exhibits, workshops, and performances literally showed the importance of women as “carriers of culture” from around the world. Ms. Taylor is only one of the talented people who have made various aspects of international cultures come alive for visitors from the age of 5 to 95. The Anthropology Museum has presented exhibits on everything from feather headdresses from the rainforest to migrant workers in western Kansas to art exhibits that involve members from Indian tribes across the continent. Where else can we see so many different aspects of what it means to be human across cultures and across time?

It seems ironic that when we urgently need to understand cultures from around the world, we are faced with this unnecessary loss. This should be a time when we have new exhibits on the Muslim cultures that we are poorly prepared to understand. For only $150,000 we can literally have the world at our doorsteps. We are pleading with the concerned KU officials to reverse this ill-advised decision.

Missy Hamilton,

Laurie Culling,

Susan Jordan,

Lawrence