The history of museum exhibitions is a rich and fascinating subject. Museum exhibitions offer a window into a vast amount of research, and are a unique mode of communication for scholars and students of history. At the same time, exhibitions must appeal to a public audience, and they must communicate complex ideas in a form that is accessible and engaging. This is not an easy task, but one that is well worth undertaking for museums that wish to remain relevant in the twenty-first century.
Exhibits are three-dimensional, physical forms of cultural argument. They contain a lot of research and scholarly interpretation, but they are also a kind of metaphor–one visual aspect of a bigger idea. They are a complex, nonlinear form of historical presentation that has its own rigor and demands. While exhibits are often accompanied by catalogues, videos and other ancillary products, the exhibition itself must stand on its own. This is why exhibition reviews are essential to the history field. They help to create a literature that is as important and lasting as the exhibitions themselves.
Each review will examine the intellectual underpinnings of an exhibition–does the exhibition reflect prevailing scholarly trends and scholarship? Does it push the boundaries of knowledge and understanding? And in addition to examining the exhibit’s research and academic context, each review will attempt to assess how it succeeds or fails in conveying its arguments in a manner that is accessible to a broad and diverse public.
The intent of this column is not to try to review every history exhibition in the country each year, but to emphasize innovative work that stretches the established parameters of museum exhibition and interpretation. Shows that address difficult subjects and promote an inclusive visual story; displays that suggest new ways to improve collaboration between the academy and the museum profession; community driven collecting initiatives that redefine a small museum’s relationship with its local residents; and exhibitions that utilize techniques of exhibitry to engage non-traditional or underserved audiences are examples of such innovative works.
The goal of this column is to make historians aware of the importance of these exhibitions and to stimulate discussions among colleagues about the content, the arguments, the visuals, and the audience for the historical information presented in museums through their exhibits. It is vital for the preservation of the past that these exhibitions be open to debate and discussion, and that museums continue to provide a forum for a democratic and rational exchange of ideas about the human experience. This is a fundamental part of the mission of museums, and of the museum as an institution that has its own unique role in our society.