A Look Inside the Burke Box

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September 5, 2025 | Burke Education

Mary Jane Topash (Tulalip Tribes), Assistant Director of Cultural Education Initiatives, and Devin Leatherman, Burke Box Program Manager, sat down with the Burke Development team to discuss their approach to tribal consultation during Burke Box curriculum development.

student interacts with burke box
A student interacts with the Native Peoples and the Environment of Washington Burke. Photo courtesy Richard Gordon Elementary

Culturally informed, accessible museum education

At the Burke Museum, we believe every child deserves access to immersive, hands-on learning that reflects the rich cultural and natural heritage of our region. One way we provide this access is through the Burke Box program — an outreach initiative that brings museum-quality teaching collections and lessons directly to classrooms and communities across Washington.  

Now in its 95th year, the Burke Box program has reached more than 7 million students who may not otherwise have had the opportunity to visit the museum in person. Last year alone, Burke Boxes went out 566 times, reaching approximately 36,000 learners. Nearly a quarter of all reservations are subsidized or free for underserved communities. 

Each box includes interactive teaching collections of museum-quality objects paired with customizable lesson plans and activities. Cultural Burke Boxes are developed in collaboration with Tribal partners and align with Washington’s Since Time Immemorial curriculum requirements. 

Building trust through community consultation 

We aim to remove barriers to authentic representation and build meaningful relationships that empower Native people to share their stories and Indigenous ways of knowing with a broad audience. When developing cultural content for Burke Boxes, project leads identify multiple partners from represented Tribes early in the process and use their guidance to create the content and direction of belongings to include. We defer to the knowledge bearers who practice the traditions, use the materials, and remember the histories that are ultimately shared with students.  

Currently, the Burke is developing a new box focused on the Tribes of the Upper Columbia Plateau: Kalispel, Spokane, Colville, and Coeur d’Alene. Over the past six months, representatives from each Tribe have met with Burke project leads to develop and co-create the box in ways that reflect their lived experience and cultural knowledge. Over the winter, the curriculum will be reviewed and resources added to ensure that stories are accurately told in the voices of our Tribal partners.  

While Burke Boxes inform and educate through hands-on, accessible lessons, they go beyond simple knowledge sharing. Just as importantly, they foster respect, empathy, and environmental stewardship. They help students see themselves and others in the stories of this land and remind us that education can, and should, be a bridge between cultures.  

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contents of native peoples and the environment of washington state burke box
Photo: Burke Museum
Photo: Burke Museum

Contents of the Native Peoples & the Environment of Washington Burke Box.

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exterior of burke boxes
Photo: Burke Museum
Photo: Burke Museum

Burke Boxes await their next trip to students around Washington state.

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contents of the native peoples of the columbia plateau burke box
Photo: Burke Museum
Photo: Burke Museum

Contents of the Native Peoples of the Columbia Plateau Burke Box.

The museum has Burke Boxes with content related to Native cultures, plant and animal sciences, fossils, archaeology and geology. They are available for schools, libraries, communities, and all to connect learners of all ages with the wonders of our state’s natural and cultural heritage.  

Learn more about Burke Boxes and other education offerings here.