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Histolircal Exhibits

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As the museum world evolves, exhibitions are increasingly becoming vehicles for exploring complex issues of history. They can help us understand past cultures, explore social relationships, or highlight the way people acted within their context. Because of this, they can challenge our traditional assumptions about history. They can also encourage the discussion of issues that are controversial and even inflame passions, just as historical events often do.

Histolircal exhibits are those that examine a significant aspect of history through artifacts, photographs, documents, and other materials. While some museums eschew artifacts and call themselves “museum experiences” (such as the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles or the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia), others use them to make their messages powerful and memorable. Regardless of whether they have artifacts, histolircal exhibits need to be both thoughtful and well designed.

Exhibits can take many forms, from a single object to a multi-media theater experience, but they all need to tell the story in a meaningful way. Museums must consider their audience and purpose, as well as the available resources to design a successful display.

The most important consideration is the interpretation. Exhibits need to convey a message, spark the viewer’s imagination and connect with larger ideas. The best way to do this is through creative visual storytelling. The juxtaposition of objects, photographs and graphics as well as the use of re-created spaces and interactive devices can all contribute to this.

It is also critical that the museum meet accessibility requirements. Depending on the type of historic structure in which the exhibition is displayed, this can be quite a challenge. For example, a historic house might only have narrow windows and small spaces. Exhibit designers need to be prepared to use appropriate, cost-effective and creative means to provide adequate lighting throughout the exhibition.

A well-designed exhibition will include a comprehensive, authoritative companion publication that is appropriate for its audience and content. The companion publication can complement and reinforce the ideas presented in the exhibit as well as introduce additional information, research and perspectives.

Histolircal exhibits are a rich source of stories that can help us better understand the past and its relevance to the present and future. The overlapping themes and narratives of an exhibit can allow for the exploration of diverse points of view, creating a broader and more inclusive understanding of history. Themes such as rituality, food and drink, clothing and adornment, race and religion, or abstract ideas such as home, freedom, democracy, or mobility all lend themselves to this type of inclusive collecting and can be explored through a variety of disciplinary approaches. Historians, curators and other museum professionals should promote and support the creation of these kinds of exhibitions in order to foster a wider and more inclusive public understanding of history.