SEATTLE — Seattle's Wing Luke Museum closed this week after its staff walked out in protest of a new exhibit.
On May 22, a group of staff members participated in a walkout "in protest of Zionist language" used in the new exhibit, "Confronting Hate Together."
According to the museum, "Confronting Hate Together," was intended to explore anti-Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander hate, Black hate and anti-Jewish hate.
The museum said the exhibit was created as an opportunity to learn and "understand others' perspectives."
Staff said the language used in the exhibit "sets a dangerous precedent of platforming colonial, white supremacist perspectives" and goes against the museum's mission.
"We love the Wing Luke Museum and are consistently honored to steward the stories of our community members, many of whom have experienced the destructive harm of white supremacy, genocide, and violence that parallels the experience of Palestinians today. Our solidarity with Palestine should be reflected in our AA/NHPI institutions," staff said in a statement on Instagram.
The museum said it acknowledges and supports its staff in expressing their beliefs. It said it closed its doors this week to engage in dialog with its staff and looks forward to reopening later.
"As an organization rooted in dialogue, we acknowledge and support the right of our staff to express their beliefs and personal truths and to this end, we are holding space for a careful and thoughtful process of listening with intent to hear multiple perspectives in pursuit of a mutual way forward," the museum said in a statement on its website.
