“We are currently working with the CARES Act grant to develop a virtual tour for our SunWatch site,” said Jill Krieg-Accrocco, DSNH Curator of Anthropology and Exhibitions. “This will include activities sent out to students to do at home or in the classroom. Typically, students visit SunWatch in the fourth grade to learn about ancient cultures.”
Due to the pandemic, many field trips are on hold, so virtual tours offer students a similar experience and allow students to experience SunWatch from anywhere.
The DSNH is the parent organization of the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery and its sister organization, SunWatch Indian Village.
The CARES Act, passed by Congress on March 27, included $75 million in emergency funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). In late March, NEH reported that the anchors of the creative economy such as museums and historical societies were reporting losses of $1 billion every month as facilities were closed and educational programs were canceled, according to a release.
The release also stated that museums and historical societies like DSNH are allowed to use the grant to retain or rehire staff, pay rent or utility bills, maintain or increase the security of sites and collections, and make strategic investments for direct service to stay-at-home audiences, such as upgrading computer hardware or software, and internet service.
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