About the Guam Museum
I Hinanao-ta, Nu I Manaotao Tano – I CHamoru Siha: “The Journey of the CHamoru People”
The Guam Museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Take a walk through Guam history by visiting the brand new permanent exhibit at the Senator Antonio M. Palomo Guam Museum and CHamoru Educational Facility in Hagåtña. This 6,200 square foot (576m²) gallery, located on the second floor of the Guam Museum, is the first of its kind on the island, featuring interactive, state-of-the-art technology and the most complete display of Guam’s history and culture in the CHamoru language to date.
The exhibit is designed to educate and entertain audiences of varying ages, backgrounds, and languages. Over 300 curated artifacts, thousands of images, multiple audios, and short films have been carefully pieced together in seven different galleries to guide visitors through the historical, CHamoru narrative of Guam. Descriptive panels are written in English and CHamoru and are accompanied by QR codes that translate the text into Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, and Korean.
In Galleries 1, 2 and 3, the journey through time begins in the Queuing Room. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling mural of “Fo’na Creating the People of Guam”, is a gallery filled with local artwork, in various mediums, depicting notable eras from Guam’s history, culture, and society. A video of Governor Eddie Calvo greets visitors as they make their way through the artwork toward the Orientation Theater. The short film shown in the mini-theater transports you instantly into ancient CHamoru past, beginning with an animated creation story of Guam, and then transitions to live-action, to show how the seafaring CHamorus came to settle on the island.
Our Mission
Our mission is to foster a greater understanding of the CHamoru culture and the art, history and natural environment of Guam.
Para u fitme i kinemprenden i kottura yan i atten fina’tinas CHamoru, i hestoria yan i guinahan i uriyan Guahan.
We envision a future where all people understand and celebrate Guam’s cultural heritage and natural history, and use that knowledge to ensure the future. Core values drive an institution’s strategy and decisions and contribute in a definitive manner to its success. The very culture of the organization is determined by its values and philosophy.
The Guam Museum values and is committed to:
• Programming excellence resulting in inspirational outcomes
• A culture of respect and harmony
• Education as a primary mandate
• Trust and confidence
• Authenticity and respect for knowledge and scholarship
• Honesty, integrity and the highest professional standards
• Public accountability and operational transparency
• Responsible stewardship of all resources
In lili’e’ un sagan tiningo’ Guam ni’ ha silelebra i kottura, I kostumbre, I atte yan fina’tinas, I hestoria yan I naturåt siha gi uriya sigon gi idukasion yan gineftao I taotao na prugråma ni’ siña manayuda muna’kahulo’ I kotturan respetu (Inafa’maolek) yan u eppok i manmamaila’ na henerasion.
I Hinengge Siha:
• Takhelo’ na prugråma ni’ a’annok i resutton ineppok.
• I Kotturan Respetu yan Inagofli’e’
• I mamåndan Idukasion fine’nena
• Respetu para i tiningo’ yan inestudion akademia
• Unesto, minaolek yan etmås takhelo’na mididan prufesionåt
• Tråtamenton pupbliku, responsåpbledåt yan hinengge
• Inadahi yan pribiniyi
• Angokkuyon gi manadahen guinahan kosas/tråstes
The earliest activity of collecting objects to represent the Guam and the Marianas occurred in the 1887 Philippine Exposition in Madrid, Spain. Artifacts by Hans and Gertrude Hornbostel for the Bishop Museum in Honolulu demonstrate an interest in Chamorro Culture outside Guam.
Spurred by the need to protect and preserve Guam’s history for future generations, a vision of a museum for the people of Guam began to emerge. The establishment of the Guam Museum in Hagåtña, first operated by the American Legion, then the US Navy.
The rebuilding of the Guam Museum in the Garden House at the Plaza de España reflected the resilience of the Chamorro people and their desire for a repository of their public memory while they transitioned to a modern, urbanized center in the Pacific region.
Following the closure of the Garden House, the Guam Museum struggled to find a permanent home. The Museum organization was restructured, and through the efforts of many people, a new building & a new beginning — for the preservation and sharing of Guam’s history, culture, and natural environment.
The Guam Museum Foundation, Inc. (GMFI) is recognized as a non-profit charity organization guided by a Board of Directors composed of philanthropic leaders. The GMFI is one of the most important volunteer bodies affiliated with the Senator Antonio M. Palomo Guam Museum and Chamorro Educational Facility as it serves as the primary vehicle for enlisting resources in-kind and monetary support.
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