A “microhistory” is a way of drawing out big-picture narratives about the past by looking closely at a single case. By looking closely at objects and thinking about their lives in the worlds in which they were created, "Microhistories of the Andes" explores topics like Andean cosmologies, cultural conceptions of agricultural practices, objects of devotion and spirituality, and the histories of materials across land and time.

Tracing the lives of art objects made as early as the first millennium AD and as recently as the twentieth century, this exhibition presents textiles, ceramic sculptures, paintings, metalwork, and feather arts to explore how close attention to works of art reveals broader narratives about creativity and cosmovision.

"Microhistories of the Andes" includes objects from ancient Peru and Colombia, as well as more recent works from Bolivia and Ecuador, offering a geographically capacious cross-section of the region’s history and landscapes and the Museum’s permanent collection. Many works featured in the exhibition will be presented at SAMA for the first time, including recent gifts to the collection.