Show Me Missouri is a state-wide collaborative initiative to document and commemorate Missouri’s bicentennial in 2021. This forthcoming digital exhibit will tell the story of Missouri and Missourians through the lens of 200 historically and culturally significant objects. Furthermore, the project will examine the comprehensive history of the state through a complex, inclusive, and critical interpretation. Each object will have an interpretative essay that will contextualize it in relation to the larger history of Missouri. Show Me Missouri will be a free and publicly accessible website for the use of scholars, teachers, both K-12 and collegiate students, and everyday Missourians.

It is our goal that Show Me Missouri can serve as a virtual and democratic space that encourages Missourians to reflect on our shared past, present, and future. Missouri’s bicentennial will, without doubt, evoke a sense of pride in the state’s history. But this landmark commemoration also can serve as a catalyst for residents of the state to reflect on our shared memory, identities, and histories. Show Me Missouri will offer an accessible space for everyday people, scholars, teachers, and students to celebrate the state’s diverse history and learn from its complex past.

The project is a collaboration between the Center for Midwestern Studies, the University of Missouri-Kansas City History Department, Springfield-Greene County Library District, and the Kansas City Public Library.