The Trotter Center from the north, with the Kelsey Museum in the background. Note how the stonework echoes that of the Kelsey. Photo by Terry Wilfong.

The Kelsey Museum’s new neighbor, the Trotter Multicultural Center, is open! Several Kelsey staff members attended the gala opening on April 11th, a festive occasion with a DJ, live music, food from many cultures, and speeches by university officials. Hundreds of U-M students, staff, and faculty were in attendance. According to its mission statement, the Trotter Multicultural Center “serves as a campus facilitator, convener, and coordinator of cultural competence and inclusive leadership education initiatives for University of Michigan students.”

The Kelsey’s Tiffany window from the south stairwell in the Trotter Center. Photo by Dawn Johnson.

The center is named after William Monroe Trotter, a major civil rights leader and advocate for African Americans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Given the diverse and multicultural nature of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East as represented in our collections, the Trotter Center is the perfect modern complement to the Kelsey, and we are thrilled to welcome them to the neighborhood!