Jean P. Haydon Museum: A Cultural Gem of American Samoa

The Jean P. Haydon Museum, situated in the heart of Fagatogo, is a vital repository of American Samoa's local history and culture. Established in 1970 and officially opened in 1973, the museum is named after Jean P. Haydon, the First Lady of American Samoa from 1969 to 1974, who played a crucial role in initiating its collection.The museum's collections are housed in a building with a rich history itself. Constructed in 1917 as the U.S. Naval Station Tutuila Commissary, the building later served as the island's post office from 1950 to 1971 before being converted into the museum. The building's architecture reflects a distinctive Naval style adapted to the tropical climate, featuring concrete construction designed to imitate rough-cut stone.Inside, visitors can explore a diverse array of exhibits that highlight various aspects of Samoan culture and history. These include traditional crafts, tools, and household items, as well as ancient navigational charts, traditional clothing, and ceremonial items. The museum also features exhibits on natural history, tapa making, traditional tattooing, war clubs, kava bowls, and historic photographs. Noteworthy items include the Fala o Futa, a fine mat of its kind in Samoa, and cannons from the Kaimiloa, a warship from King Kalākaua of Hawai'i.The museum also acknowledges American Samoa's role in the U.S. Apollo space missions, displaying lunar rocks brought back from the Moon and an American Samoa flag carried to the Moon by Apollo 11. The museum is the official repository for collections of artifacts for American Samoa.