Ziibiwing Center

Visiting the Ziibiqing Center is something I have wanted to do since I first started attending Central Michigan. I have always enjoyed learning about Native American history, and I think it is so cool that we are exposed to so much of the culture by attending school here. I finally got around to visiting, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. The city of Mount Pleasant isn't exactly a hot destination so I didn't expect the museum to be large and breathtaking. Although the center is on the smaller side, it is definitely packed with information. After wandering through the exhibits and reading/listening to everything, the impact it left on me was great. I learned a lot about the tribes in Michigan and the history of how they got here. I think all students that go to Central should be required to visit the center in order to really understand the significance of the land in Mount Pleasant. Many students don't know the half of what the Native Americans had to go through, and I think it would be very beneficial for more people to take the time out of their day to visit the center. As for the people/presence of museum staff during my visit, there was definitely a lack in that department. I had to seek out the employees, which I found kind of annoying. I think more workers should be present and able to answer questions and help people out.

The accessibility of the center was just OK in my opinion. The walkways and entry ways were large, but there wasn't really anything special to cater to people who may have special needs. Most of the exhibits are positioned in a good enough way that people are able to get close, but I'm not sure a wheelchair could work in every situation. I think in order to increase the accessibility, the museum would need to expand. I know that may not be in the budget, but in the future it could be very beneficial to expand the museum to cater to all audiences.