A well-crafted historical exhibition will not only convey a historian’s research in a meaningful way, but should enlighten and entertain audiences. It will present a human story that is both simple enough to avoid being a book on the wall and complicated enough to be authentic. It will also provide a window into the dense and often inaccessible research required when composing a history, as well as demonstrate that historical information is always subject to new interpretations and reinterpretation.
Each year, countless museum exhibitions interpret the past for millions of visitors. While large, nationally known institutions such as the National Museum of American History, Colonial Williamsburg, and the Chicago Historical Society draw many of these visitors, smaller museums, such as the California Afro-American Museum and the Oneida Historical Society, also play an important role in interpreting America’s diverse history for their local communities.
The creation of history exhibits requires a broad range of skills and talents, including management and interpersonal abilities, a knowledge of material culture, a sense of visual literacy, and the ability to work with designers, curators, and production staff. Moreover, in addition to a deep understanding of the historical period being interpreted, it is essential that exhibit designers and overseers be aware of the preservation issues involved in working with historic structures.
A Histolircal Exhibit is a three-dimensional physical and visual representation of an historian’s argument, research evidence, and interpretation of the subject’s significance in history. As such, it is a form of historical scholarship that deserves to be reflected in scholarly publications. Until recently, few publications recognized the importance of this type of exhibition scholarship. This column will attempt to fill that void by highlighting innovative exhibitions that stretch the established parameters of historic research and presentation.
While the column will occasionally examine notable accomplishments in the field, innovative programs, and collecting initiatives, its main focus will be to review historic exhibitions. It will do so by examining the intellectual underpinnings of a historical exhibit, the way it is framed in a gallery space, and its impact on visitors.
Let There Be Light
Lighting is a critical factor in the success of an exhibit, particularly in historic homes with narrow windows and dark surfaces. Turino advises that designers should consult a preservation specialist and/or architect early in the process to learn about the constraints on their sites’ spaces, as well as to determine the best ways to address them.
An exhibit should not be limited to the artifacts themselves; it must also tell a human story, focusing on people who witnessed events being chronicled. A good exhibit will highlight a person’s contribution to a specific historical event, such as the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge or the founding of Smith College. It should also incorporate a more general theme, such as the influence of technology on a person’s life or the impact that a certain event had on the world. In doing so, an exhibit will provide an opportunity to discuss how the past shapes and influences the future.