Binding the past, present, and future

One of the most common feedback from tourists and other who visit the CNMI is a consistent need to experience, see, taste, and hear local culture. That culture that is unique to the CNMI is what makes the islands a unique destination and it is worthy to note that the Marianas Visitors Authority and the CNMI government now recognize this as a very good tool to attract more visitors to the islands.

More than the passing tourists, though, the CNMI Museum believes that its existence is not merely intended to distill the past of the CNMI for the entertainment of tourists but also as a teaching tool to educate the local community. That is why the NMI Museum, headed by Executive Director Daniel Aquino, believes that it is crucial for the museum to engage with the community.

“Community activities allow us to engage, interact, and educate residents about our program and the historical artifacts that are in our possession,” he said.

He said that many tourists visit the NMI Museum just to see the iconic original entrance of the building. Did you know that? For many who don’t know, this is why the museum is expanding its outreach to schools and other agencies to teach them about this “fun fact” and educate them on why the museum needs to exist in the first place.

“…The NMI Museum is one of CNMI’s iconic places because the museum is situated in the Old Japanese Hospital, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974,” Aquino said. “Locating the NMI Museum in the Old Japanese Hospital was only supposed to be temporary until funding for a new state-of-the-art facility can be allocated. ….The adjacent building was the Japanese Laboratory and was recently repaired and repurposed to serve as the museum gift and coffee shop to generate revenue. …For now, Gov. [Ralph DLG] Torres and the Saipan Northern Island Delegation provide us with support and funding to maintain, repair and upgrade our facility.”

To date, Aquino and his team are responsible for the stewardship of priceless collections, photos, documents and historical artifacts: from the Pre-Latte and Latte Period; Spanish Colonization; Freycinet Collection: drawings from the French ship Uranie that came to the islands and drew what life was like in 1819; the German period; Japanese period; Unification with the United States (Covenant); World War II artifacts; internment camps and the Nuestra Senora De La Concepcion collection.

Apart from showcasing the CNMI’s history to the community and tourists, Aquino said the two priorities of the NMI Museum are accessibility and sustainability. “Our first goal is accessibility—to allow access to the museum. For example, the entrance fee was waived and we are now open on Saturdays. There is now a certified museum tour guide (Archie Ajoste) to provide educational tours upon request,” he said.

“Our second goal is sustainability. Our vendor stalls are now completed. Rather than doing the traditional way of renting tents for our events, we built the stalls to generate revenue. Interested individuals or companies can rent these stalls at affordable rates and sell local products or local food delicacies,” he added.

For October, the NMI Museum has a lineup of activities that involves improvements to its surroundings and fun and entertainment that family and friends will enjoy.

“James Macaranas, Wenny Haruo and I, assist the Saipan Mayor’s office with the roadside maintenance, trash collection, and beautification from Middle Road up to Kensington Hotel in San Roque. We also assist in the maintenance of the Ada Gym and Sugar King Park grounds. … The vendor stall outside aims to increase visibility and traffic around the museum,” Aquino said.

“On Oct. 31, 2021 we will be partnering with the Rotary Club of Saipan, Saipan Rotaracts to host our first Halloween Night at the Museum. There will be other non-profit organizations and organizations joining us to pass out candies. …After the Halloween event, we will be utilizing our vendor stalls to have our ‘Fiesta Friday’ evening event where residents and tourists can come to the museum and enjoy local performances and purchase local foods and crafts,” he added.

The Christmas holiday is fast approaching and the array of dancing Christmas lights showcased every year at the NMI Museum is always eye-catching. “We will be adding more lights and other things to make our grounds more attractive and to increase the islands’ festive spirit. We will also be hosting a Christmas tree competition similar to what we did last year and offering prizes for the best Christmas tree decoration. Our Christmas tree competition was very different from other competitions because we were able to give prizes to all schools that participated and we are very thankful to the members of the Legislature, and businesses who sponsored prizes,” Aquino said.

“I believe that everything we do at the NMI Museum benefits the people and children of the CNMI. Christmas has been a traditional holiday that is enjoyed by everyone and, with COVID-19 affecting everyone is some way, we need to have more positive activities that distract our attention from COVID-19 and what is going on around the world. Scientific studies reveal that visiting museums are good places to relax and de-stress. The holiday season are cheerful times but there are significant studies that also reveal that depression hits many people during these times and so we want to provide a positive place for residents to come and enjoy the holiday spirit,” Aquino added.