History and Mission
The Northern Mariana Islands Museum of History and Culture was established by Public Law 10-5 in 1996 and serves as the official repository for historic and cultural materials from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The mission of the Museum is to acquire, preserve, interpret, and exhibit artifacts and other historical materials to increase public awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the rich history and cultural traditions of the Northern Marianas, a history that dates back nearly 4,000 years.
The Museum occupies the old Japanese Hospital, a facility that provided medical care to the people of Saipan from 1926 until its abandonment in 1944 during the World War II Battle of Saipan. In recognition of its historical significance, the Japanese Hospital was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
Following renovations to this historic building that included the addition of the main gallery, the Museum opened its doors to the public in 1998. The Museum’s exhibits tell our story from the original settlement of the islands through the political negotiations of the 1970s that led to the creation of today’s U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
The Museum and it staff are overseen by a nine-member Board of Governors whose members are appointed by the Governor.