"New Lives: Building Community at Fourmile Ruin" opens April 22 at BYU Museum of Peoples, Cultures - BYU News Skip to main content
Intellect

"New Lives: Building Community at Fourmile Ruin" opens April 22 at BYU Museum of Peoples, Cultures

Brigham Young University’s Museum of Peoples and Cultures will open a new exhibition Wednesday, April 22, that explores the changes at Fourmile Ruin, an archaeological site in East-Central Arizona that allowed people from differing backgrounds to integrate into a single community.

The exhibit, titled "New Lives: Building Community at Fourmile Ruin," is timely in this period of crisis as it explores ways that a people came out of hardship and created a strong community, said museum promotions director Erika Riggs.

The Museum of Peoples and Cultures is located at 700 N. 100 E. in Provo. The museum is open to visitors from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and until 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Exhibitions are free. Themed tours and special activities are available for a small fee.

The exhibition was developed by several BYU student co-curators under the direction of Paul Stavast, the museum's interim director. Most of the artifacts on display were generously donated to the MPC in 2006 by the Terrence and Jean Reidhead family.

When a 25-year drought plagued the Southwest in the late A.D. 1200s, communities dependent on rain for farming were devastated. Many people abandoned their homes and moved south in search of a place with permanent water sources and regular rainfall.

Fourmile Ruin’s location near a stream and in a region with more reliable rainfall made it very attractive to migrants. The people already living at Fourmile Ruin welcomed them in, and together they built up the community.

The migrants brought different traditions and ways of life with them, and all the people had to learn to live together. These migrants and the local population were able to forge a new identity for themselves, and they became the most important pueblo in the region.

“We’ve worked to make this exhibition more applicable to current issues,” said Rachel Harris, a student co-curator. “There are also more interactive features that will encourage visitors to become involved with the topics discussed.”

For more information visit mpc.byu.edu.

Writer: Erika Riggs

Related Articles

data-content-type="article"

BYU study finds the real reasons why some people choose not to use artificial intelligence

June 03, 2025
In a recent study, BYU professors Jacob Steffen and Taylor Wells explored why some people are still reluctant to use GenAI tools. While some people might worry about an AI apocalypse, Steffen and Wells found that most non-users are more concerned with issues like trusting the results, missing the human touch or feeling unsure if GenAI is ethical to use.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= promoTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"

Rethinking sugar: BYU study shows food source is key to understanding diabetes risk

May 27, 2025
A recent BYU study shows that not all dietary sugars carry the same risks. In the largest and most comprehensive meta-analysis of its kind, BYU researchers—in collaboration with researchers from Germany-based institutions—found that the type and source of sugar may matter far more than previously thought.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= promoTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"

BYU researchers show social connection is still underappreciated as a medically relevant health factor

May 22, 2025
Despite mounting evidence that social connection is vital to physical health, new BYU research shows most people, including doctors, still underestimate its importance.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= promoTextAlignment=
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText=