Muhlenberg County Public Libraries is thrilled to welcome a special new exhibit to Thistle Cottage Museum and Archives in Greenville.
Americans, a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution that explores the history, impact and contributions of Native Americans locally and on a national scale, opens Saturday, Oct. 4 at Thistle Cottage (122 S. Cherry St., Greenville, KY 42345). The library is hosting a public grand opening ceremony from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. with a ribbon cutting, refreshments and crafts for children, in addition to the first opportunity to see this compelling new exhibit in Muhlenberg County.
Library director Janet Harris said, “We’re very excited to be able to bring another exhibit from the Smithsonian to our local community and give people a chance that they might otherwise never have to see something like this.”
This is the second Smithsonian exhibit to visit Muhlenberg County Public Libraries; Thistle Cottage also hosted the sports-themed Hometown Teams in 2018.
It can be difficult for people to travel to Washington, D.C. to see Smithsonian exhibits in person, Harris said, so the library jumped at the chance to bring one of those exhibits here instead. “It’s a great opportunity for our community,” she said. “We loved Hometown Teams when it was here, and I think Americans is going to be just as great as that was.”
“This is an incredible exhibit,” Thistle Cottage Archivist Amie Waltrip added. “It includes a lot of really important information, of course, but it’s all presented in such an interesting way, with lots of pictures, videos and interactive elements … plus examples of some of the many items that we all recognize – sports memorabilia, cars, even food products – that use Native American symbols or images, whether we realize that’s what it is or not.
“I think people will really enjoy seeing it.”
Americans, based on a major exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., explores the deeply entangled history that Americans and American Indians share.
American Indians are less than 1 percent of the population, yet images of Indians are everywhere. From imagery on commercial products and professional and high school sports mascots, to classic Westerns, we are surrounded by American Indian imagery. Indian names are everywhere too, from state, city, and street names to the Tomahawk missile.
Americans highlights four major historical events: Thanksgiving, the Trail of Tears, the Battle of Little Big Horn and the life of Pocahontas. The exhibit presents what has been remembered, contested, cherished and denied and shows why each event still resonates.
Interested visitors who cannot attend the opening ceremony will still have plenty of other chances to see the exhibit at Thistle Cottage. Americans will remain on display through Saturday, Nov. 15. The exhibit will be open to the public during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) as well as during special after-hours events at Thistle Cottage.
There is no fee to view the Americans exhibit or any of Thistle Cottage’s other exhibits or resources.
Reservations are recommended but are not required for small groups visiting during regular business hours. Schools and other groups are also welcome to visit the exhibit. Limited tours outside normal business hours may be scheduled, dependent upon availability; contact Thistle Cottage at 270-338-4760, ext. 3 to schedule a tour.
In addition to the grand opening ceremony on Oct. 4, Muhlenberg County Public Libraries is planning several other public activities related to the exhibit, as well, including:
- Performance by Fred Nez Keams, Native American musician and flute-maker – Oct. 9, 6 p.m. at Merle Travis Center, 750 Cleaton Rd., Powderly, KY 42367
- Family Movie Night (classic animated family film) – Oct. 16, 5:30 p.m. at Central City Public Library, 108 E. Broad St., Central City, KY 42330
- Native Americans at Mammoth Cave presentation – Oct. 20, 3:30 p.m. at Harbin Memorial Public Library, 117 S. Main St., Greenville, KY 42345
- Community Reads discussion (The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson) – Oct. 21, 6 p.m. at Thistle Cottage
- Native American Life at Angel Mounds presentation – Oct. 23, 3:30 p.m. at Harbin Memorial Public Library
- Adults’ Movie Night (modern thriller movie) – Oct. 30, 5:30 p.m. at Central City Public Library
- Native Gardening & Horticulture presentation – Nov. 6, 6 p.m. at Harbin Memorial Public Library
- Americans Closing Reception – Nov. 15, 2-4 p.m. at Thistle Cottage
All of these activities, like the exhibit itself, are free to attend.
The Americans exhibit is just one of the ways Muhlenberg County Public Libraries serves the community. The public library system offers a wide range of resources, programs and services for all ages. Muhlenberg County Public Libraries hosts regular free public programs including yoga, craft activities, book clubs, weekly children’s storytimes and much more. In addition to these library-sponsored activities, community event and meeting space for other groups or individuals is available. The library also offers a vast collection of books, movies and other circulating materials in physical and digital formats; genealogy help and resources available in person or online; and more. Find the library on social media, visit http://www.mcplib.org or call 270-338-4760 for more information about the library’s services and activities.
Americans is a collaboration between Muhlenberg County Public Libraries, Kentucky Humanities and the Smithsonian Institution. Kentucky Humanities, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching Kentucky’s cultural landscape through literature, history and storytelling, chose Muhlenberg County Public Libraries to host Americans as part of the Museum on Main Street project, a national/state/local partnership to bring exhibitions and programs to rural cultural organizations. Museum on Main Street is a partnership of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, the Federation of State Humanities Councils and state humanities councils nationwide. The United States Congress and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet provide support to the Museum on Main Street project.
The exhibition is touring seven communities in Kentucky through July 5, 2026. Muhlenberg County is the second tour stop for the exhibit. Visit https://kyhumanities.org/programs/americans/ to view the exhibit’s full tour schedule through Kentucky or https://museumonmainstreet.org/americans to find more information from the Smithsonian about the exhibit’s contents.
