As divisions flare around the nation, visitors to the Museum of Natural and Cultural History are participating in a unique dialogue about unity.

Beneath the iconic copper salmon sculpture that welcomes visitors to the museum, a large corkboard has been installed. Emblazoned across the top: “This is your community. What will you do today to bring us together?” Dozens of index cards have been pinned to the board, each one bearing a passerby’s handwritten answer.

The board, which was installed Thursday, is there to encourage all members of the campus community to consider and share ways to come together and remain connected in the face of divisive trends observed on campus and around the nation.

One card reads: “Have a conversation with a stranger.” Another participant commits to volunteer with a local legal aid organization. Still another vows to befriend a student who has different political convictions.   

“We wanted to create a space where students, staff and faculty could reflect on what it means to be part of this community, and to share ideas for how we might bridge differences that sometimes threaten to divide us,” said exhibitions director Ann Craig.

“History is littered with the ruins of civilizations led by people who let their differences paralyze or divide them,” said Jon Erlandson, executive director at the museum and Philip H. Knight Professor. “It’s crucial that we listen to one another, respect one another and find the common ground we need to preserve our sense of community.”

The board will be on display every day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum invites the respectful participation of all UO students, volunteers, employees and neighbors.

— By Kristin Strommer, Museum of Natural and Cultural History