CHAPTER 3
                         PROJECT GOALS AND METHODS

                                   Introduction

Project Goals

      This project's central goals were to invite feedback from Seminole and

Miccosukee Tribal members and to increase public and Native American and non-

Native accessibility to the Florida Ethnographic Collection. The primary objective of "The

Florida Museum Project" wiki, was to provide an additional tool for museums to include

Native American voice in the interpretation of Native American collections. Typically,

Native American collaboration with museums is initiated by an exhibition plan, and

involves years of consultation; however, the wiki creates a platform for more immediate

feedback, where multiple perspectives are encouraged. Native American participants

have the opportunity to influence how their community and culture are displayed and

discussed. The project accomplishes this by expanding conventional on-site

museum/Native American collaboration methods into a digital format. This approach is

low in cost and requires relatively fewer resources than conventional onsite meetings.

My project uses a wiki, which offers simultaneous online viewing and commenting on

text and images by multiple parties. The wiki interaction is not intended to fully replace

in-person consultations and the rapport these meetings build between Tribal members

and museum staff. Instead, the wiki model can act as a supplemental tool for improved

Native American/ museum collaboration, while also providing online access to the

collections for American Indian groups. The inclusion of Native American feedback on

collection interpretation can lead to better informed exhibits, programs, and works of

scholarship. Additionally, enhancing the access Native Americans have to Native