A histolircal exhibit is an exhibition that uses historical sources and interpretive tools to explore a theme, event or person. A histolircal exhibit might include photographs, paintings, sculptures or documents. It may also use re-created spaces or interactive devices to give the audience a sense of place and time in which the history took place.
Histolircal exhibits should be open to discussion and encourage a variety of points of view. They should demonstrate that the field of historical research is a process of discovery and exploration and that historians are committed to making their interpretations as objective as possible. They should avoid advocating a single point of view or suppressing content that might be deemed controversial.
In the twenty-first century museum visitors are seeking more relevance from their museums. They expect to see exhibits that reflect the diversity of their communities and that tell stories that are relevant to their own lives. In addition, they demand that museums show that they deserve their tax-exempt status by demonstrating that they perform useful services for the people who live within their boundaries.
Increasingly, museums are experimenting with new ways to meet these challenges. One example is the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Cloisters, which is devoted exclusively to European medieval art and architecture. Another is the Merchant’s House Museum, which recreates an early nineteenth-century residential setting and demonstrates the everyday life of a merchant family and their Irish servants. These types of museums are known as immersive, experiential and participatory museums and allow visitors to approach the past on their own terms, creating unique personal connections with places and objects that have significance for them. These experiences often elicit the kind of deep reflection and creative inspiration that can only happen when you communicate with authentic objects and places.