project, Southeastern Native American Collections Project. This project employs a

variety of museum practices in order to build and share a collection.

       I argue that museums that create feedback wikis can effectively increase Native

and non-Native access to museum objects. I support the need for this type of project by

outlining historical and current Native/museum relationships, and I discuss the variety of

ways to apply Native wiki contributions. Secondly, I explore the benefits and limitations

of this type of partnership, and I consider the future possibilities for building museum

collaborations through digital platforms.

       Chapter 2 explores the ideological shift that occurred c. 1990 in museum

practice; I discuss the differences in practice before and after this shift. This includes

museum collecting practices, collections management, and exhibition development.

Chapter 2 also explores the role of technology in collections and exhibitions practices

today. Chapter 3 provides a detailed account of how and why I implemented the wiki

project. Here, I first discuss the project goals as they relate to participatory design. I

outline the project methods, and I examine applications of the project. In chapter 4, I

explore benefits, issues, and solutions for employing the wiki model. I conclude by

addressing the possibilities for wikis as a tool for building museum partnerships. I

examine the wiki's intersection with the changing role of the museum in society and its

capacity for improving cultural understanding.