Each year, hundreds of historical exhibits based on the research of museum scholars are mounted in museums across the country. As an exhibition medium, history exhibits present the results of research and interpretation in a three-dimensional form that allows viewers to interact with the material culture of past generations, creating inclusive visual stories that allow people to connect with bigger ideas in meaningful ways.
These exhibitions often require greater context to convey complex information than fine art shows, which use fewer interpretive graphics. They may feature dioramas, maps, text, charts, and interactive displays to provide background information and explain historical concepts to a broad audience. The topics of these exhibitions span many disciplines, from archaeology and anthropology to science and history.
The museum community is increasingly seeking to tell a more diverse range of stories that include the experiences and points of view of all members of society. This includes examining topics that touch on the heart and soul, including rites of passage (birth, death, marriage/joining, coming of age) and exploring abstract ideas such as home, freedom, faith, democracy, social justice, or mobility.
Unlike scholarly monographs, which live out their lives in the libraries of academic institutions and in specialized bookshelves, exhibitions are intended to be short-lived. This makes their scholarship, their physical form, and the way they communicate meaning incredibly important and challenging to evaluate. Until recently, exhibition scholarship received scant attention outside of museum journals. This column seeks to bridge this gap by making important exhibition reviews more accessible through Perspectives and by contributing to a literature of this form of history that can be widely shared.
Each month, this column will focus on a historic exhibition that highlights the museum experience in a variety of ways. While the column will occasionally discuss noteworthy accomplishments and innovative programs, it will primarily explore how historical themes are conveyed through an exhibition, providing a window into the research that informs such displays as well as how that research is presented to visitors in a compelling manner. This column will also examine how an exhibit’s design and layout help to convey its meaning, as well as whether it is memorable and engaging. Each review will be a contribution to the ever-growing body of knowledge on exhibition scholarship, providing a record that will outlive the life of the show itself. Ultimately, this column will contribute to a deeper collaboration between the academy and museums in the exploration of history’s most important questions.