Timothy Noah doesn’t much like the new National Museum of the American Indian:
The new museum stubbornly refuses to impose any recognizable standard of scholarship, or even value, on the items in its galleries. Precious artifacts are mingled with present-day kitsch, with few if any clues provided about what makes them significant. The museum’s curators regard the very notion of a Native American cultural heritage as anathema because it clashes with the museum’s boosterish message that Native American culture is as vibrant today as it ever was. This isn’t a museum; it’s a public service announcement.
NewMexiKen hasn’t been to NMAI, so I don’t know what to make of Noah’s criticism (other than it has been a common lament among the published critics). Indeed, one wonders what the reaction was when the National Museum of American History first opened — perhaps all new museums need a time to mature. Whatever, Noah’s essay is worth reading.