Project Report
| Nov 2, 2026
Finishing up an amazing year at Amuseum Naturalis!
By Mark Yokoyama | Project Leader
![Johnnycake workshop]()
Johnnycake workshop
As we head into the home stretch of 2026, we would like to share some of the things we have done this year to make a difference on St. Martin.
At Amuseum Naturalis:
- We hosted the Endemic Animal Festival, the Migratory Bird Festival, heritage days and four book launches!
- The Amuseum was the location for the Saint-Martin commemoration of Emancipation.
- We hosted events held by other community associations at the Amuseum, including traditional baking workshops with the Soualiwomen Kultural Association (SKA).
- We’ve welcomed school groups, afterschool and special needs programs, summer camps and more!
In our book program:
- We published 12 new books so far this year! These include oral history collections, coloring and activity books about culture and marine life, and four books about the nature and culture of Statia, one of our neighboring islands.
- We are in the process of distributing about 16,000 books to students and the public on St. Martin in this calendar year. This includes books for all the students on the French side of the island from preschool through high school and thousands of books to students on the Dutch side.
We are still busy and plan to end the year with some great new things:
- We have three more book launches planned at the Amuseum.
- We are finishing up a new area for SKA to make it easier and more comfortable to host cooking workshops with their wood-fired ovens made from old barrels in the traditional style.
- We will be receiving and distributing books to schools as fast as we can through the end of the year.
Thank you so much for your support! We really couldn’t do it without you. It is a financially challenging time for many, which makes your donations that much more meaningful , important and impactful. We love doing this together, and we are grateful and proud to have your support!
Many thanks!!!
![Statia Love book]()
Statia Love book
![Stories from the Heart book]()
Stories from the Heart book
![Wetlands Around Me coloring book]()
Wetlands Around Me coloring book
![The Whimbrel]()
The Whimbrel
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Jul 13, 2026
Fantastic events at Amuseum Naturalis
By Mark Yokoyama | Project Leader
![Emancipation Day event]()
Emancipation Day event
We have had a wonderful spring and summer so far at the Amuseum. Many thanks for your support!
Here are a few highlights from the last few months:
- The local government hosted the commemoration of Emancipation at the Amuseum this year. It was a beautiful event.
- Our friends at the Soualiwomen Kultural Association (SKA) hosted a Johnny Cake workshop at the Amuseum. The event included a steel pan workshop. Both the wood ovens and the steel pan drums are upcycled from oil barrels!
- We launched the book The Last Frontier, developed with the artist Roland Richardson. It includes his artworks of French Quarter, where the Amuseum is located. It also includes oral histories about the people and places featured in the artworks.
- We launched the book SoualiColor. It is a coloring book about St. Martin culture and it was created by SKA and Les Fruits de Mer.
- We hosted three volunteer days to clean and improve the Amuseum and its gardens.
- We launched the book Trees for Me and My Island. This book features great native trees that are beneficial to both people and wildlife. We gave away seedlings of many of the trees at the book launch.
- We finished our book distribution to every student on the North side of the island and approximately 2,000 students on the South side of the island. We also hosted a Teacher Day to learn from teachers about what they need.
Thanks so much for your support! We love what we are doing together and we’re going to keep building on our successes.
We welcome donations of any size, one-time or recurring. Your help makes all of this possible!
Many thanks!!!
![Johnny Cake workshop]()
Johnny Cake workshop
![SoualiColor Launch]()
SoualiColor Launch
![Trees for Me and My Island]()
Trees for Me and My Island
![The Last Frontier]()
The Last Frontier
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Mar 30, 2026
Thousands of kids get books about their island
By Mark Yokoyama | Project Leader
![Amuseum school visit]()
Amuseum school visit
We’ve been going non-stop so far in 2026 and we have a lot to show for it! Thanks for your help, which makes it all possible.
Here are a few highlights from the last few months:
- We had 8 elementary school classes visit the Amuseum to do fun activities.
- We launched J’ouvert, a collection of writings by beloved St. Martin author and artist Ruby Bute in two editions: English-French and English-Dutch. We gave 4,000 copies to students on both sides of the island!
- We gave copies of SoualiKulture to every student at the Moho middle school in French Quarter. This is the first-ever activity book about St. Martin culture, made in collaboration with Soualiwomen Kultural Association (SKA), a cultural group based in French Quarter.
- We’ve distributed books to every student in 5 elementary schools and 3 preschools, and we’re working our way through the rest of the schools right now.
Thanks so much for your support! We love what we are doing together and we’re going to keep building on our successes.
We welcome donations of any size, one-time or recurring. Your help makes all of this possible!
Many thanks!!!
![Amuseum school visit]()
Amuseum school visit
![J'ouvert by Ruby Bute]()
J'ouvert by Ruby Bute
![SoualiKulture distribution]()
SoualiKulture distribution
![Distributing J'ouvert]()
Distributing J'ouvert
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