Museum Experience Now in Book Form
Hot off the presses! Telling Our Story: The Arab American National Museum is a new book that explains how the Museum was founded and chronicles its permanent exhibits – Coming To America, Living In America, and Making An Impact. The $35 full-color, soft-cover book, written by the Museum’s founding director, Dr. Anan Ameri, is available at the Museum Store and online HERE.
Order today to ensure delivery before the holidays.
AANM Advisor Becomes ACCESS President
The co-chair of the AANM’s National Advisory Board, Dr. Fawwaz T. Ulaby, has been elected to a two-year term as president of the board of directors of ACCESS, the Museum’s parent organization. Ulaby, at right, is R. Jamison and Betty Williams Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, and a resident of Dexter, Michigan. Click HERE to read more about the new leadership team at ACCESS.
Silver Speaks Opens with Flourish
Yemeni silversmith Kamal Rubaih (right) fired up the opening of Silver Speaks: Traditional Jewelry of the Middle East, using a 
blowtorch to show how jewelry is made in a demonstration held in the AANM’s Community Courtyard last week. The Thursday evening opening event also featured a lecture by Silver Speaks collector Marjorie Ransom and a fashion show of traditional garments and silver jewelry. This brilliant exhibition runs through March 30, 2008 in the Museum’s Lower Level Gallery.
Silver Sparkles in Museum Store
Silver jewelry crafted in Yemen, a jewelry-making hot spot in the Arab world, is now for sale in the Museum Store, along with the $12.95 catalog for Silver Speaks: Traditional Jewelry of the Middle East, the newest exhibition at the AANM. The silver jewelry ranges from stunning $20 key chains with a chunky bead of real amber, to a weighty, elaborate $1,200 silver necklace; the piece at right runs $300. Most of the pieces incorporate semi-precious stones such as coral, garnet, lapis lazuli or turquoise. Some of the pieces are original designs by Kamal Rubaih of Yemen, while in others, he incorporates vintage elements. Shop now for best selection; supplies are limited.
Arab American Dinner and Documentary
You can be among the first to view a new documentary about Arab Americans by attending a special event on Sunday, December 2 at Rock Financial Showplace in Novi. "Flavors of the Arab World" includes live performances of Arab music and dance, an art display, a lavish meal of Arab cuisine, and the premiere of filmmaker Keith Famie’s Our Arab American Story, a film that tells the story of Arab world immigrants to Detroit by prominently featuring the Arab American National Museum and ACCESS. Tickets for the event, $125 each, are available by calling 248.869.0096. The documentary hits the airwaves commercial-free at 7 p.m. Saturday, December 15, on WXYZ-TV, Detroit’s Channel 7.
Watch a trailer for the documentary HERE.
Museum Closed on Thanksgiving
From the staff of the Arab American National Museum, best wishes for a peaceful Thanksgiving! In honor of the holiday, the Museum will be closed on Thursday, November 22. Regular hours resume on Friday, November 23.
November 25:
Free Craft Sunday
Kids ages 6-12 are invited to free craft sessions from 2-4 p.m. on Sundays in November, including the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. On November 25, bracelets will be made with knots and beads, and a video about Yemen, a jewelry-making hotspot, will be shown, in conjunction with the newly opened exhibition Silver Speaks: Traditional Jewelry of the Middle East. No advance registration necessary; call Lynn at 313.624.0210 with questions.
November 29 & December 6:
Free Meditation Sessions
The “Learn to Meditate Series” continues at the AANM at 6:15 p.m. Thursdays until further notice (no session on November 22, Thanksgiving). Come see for yourself why so many people from every culture and walks of life are learning to meditate. Release stress and bring benefits to mind, body and emotions. Become a deeper, brighter person. Look and feel younger. In the Lower Level Classroom. Free and open to the public. Questions? Contact Terry Freel at 248.227.7595 or tlf157@comcast.net.
November 29:
Global Thursdays: La Chispa & Company
La Chispa (“The Spark”) & Company explores all aspects of flamenco to create a powerful mixture of complex rhythms and haunting melodies. Led by Mexican-born Valeria Montes, aka La Chispa, this Detroit-based troupe offers a breathtaking performance, with live accompaniment, that transports passionate Spanish dance and music to the stage with trademark vibrancy and intensity. Tickets are $8 for Museum Members and students; $10 in advance at the Museum or by phone with a credit card at 313.582.2266 or 313.624.0215; and $12 at the door.
December 6:
Ford Comerica Global Thursdays: Mady Kouyate
Born in Dakar, Senegal, Mady is a descendent of the Kouyate family of Dialolu, oral historians and musicians of Manding traditions, recording the history of West African societies through music and verse. Performing on the 21-string kora, he is a master of the traditional and ancestral heritage of griot. Tickets are $8 for Museum Members and students; $10 in advance at the Museum or by phone with a credit card at 313.582.2266 or 313.624.0215; $12 at the door.
December 13:
Ford Comerica Global Thursdays: Holiday Marketplace FREE ADMISSION
Our popular holiday bazaar returns with fashion, art, crafts and food from around the world. Don’t miss this opportunity to shop, explore and enjoy live music and complimentary refreshments, as our holiday gift to you! Start time is 6 p.m. Admission is free; no ticket necessary. Bring a friend or family member!
Closing Sunday, November 25:
Threads of Pride: 
Palestinian Traditional Costumes
Threads of Pride features over 40 Palestinian embroidered dresses and ceremonial costumes from the collection of Farah and Hanan Munayyer, founders of the Palestinian Heritage Foundation of West Caldwell, New Jersey and stewards of the largest collection of Palestinian embroidery in the United States. In the Main Floor Gallery.
This exhibition made possible in part by The Wallace Foundation.
Through March 30, 2008:
Silver Speaks:
Traditional Jewelry of the Middle East
Silver Speaks: Traditional Jewelry of the Middle East features selections from the David and Marjorie Ransom Collection. The Ransoms began collecting silver jewelry during their careers as U.S. diplomats in the Middle East, and became amateur preservationists as they investigated smithing techniques and the historical, cultural and social meaning of various jewelry designs. In the Lower Level Gallery. Click HERE to read more about the exhibition.
This exhibition made possible in part by The Wallace Foundation.
Membership
Receive the following membership benefits:
- Free AANM admission plus advance notice and invitations to upcoming events
- Reduced ticket prices for AANM events
- 10% discount at the Museum store
- 10% discount on Museum facility rentals
- Free guest passes
- Ability to borrow books from Museum Library & Resource Center
Call (313) 624-0202 today for your Museum membership or click here
