Descriptive Entry

This accession consists of the records of Carolyn Rapkievian, Assistant Director for Interpretation, and document her work coordinating educational programs and outreach at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). Rapkievian first began her tenure at NMAI shortly after the Museum of the American Indian in New York City was transferred to the Smithsonian Institution. She helped organize a preview of the National Museum of the American Indian, George Gustav Heye Center in New York City in 1992 as well as helped organize exhibitions, public programs, and the opening of the museum in 1994. Starting in 1995, Rapkievian was on the team responsible for the planning of the NMAI museum in Washington, D.C. and its opening celebration in 2004. Since then she has been responsible for the running of educational programs and outreach at the museum until she retired in 2019. Among the various titles Rapkievian held include Assistant Director for Education and Museum Programs. Some records date to when the office was known as the Office of Public Programs and the Office of Education and Museum Programs. Also some materials date to when the museum was known as the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation and was not part of the Smithsonian Institution.

Materials include correspondence, memoranda, trip reports, visitor surveys, reports, lectures, publications, conference records, blog post text, guidelines, workshop records, study guides, brochures, images, forms, clippings, and other related materials. Some materials are in electronic format.