Within these walls
The Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington DC has a unique and interesting museum exhibit called “Within These Walls”. The exhibit was a staff collaboration that was made possible with Susan Myers, directing the project and curators Shelley Nickles, Lonn Taylor, and William Yeingst. The exhibit shows a brief evolution of how the home that would stand for more than 200 years in Massachusetts, would coincide with the historically significant of each of the families that lived within the home, and there impacts on history. The house has a lasting significant impact within Massachusetts and was constructed to preserve the historical involvement that each family had been involved in throughout American history. The exhibit has different section and artifacts that are designed to coincide with the different era’s the house was involved in. For instance, they have on display the axe that was used to cut down the lumber that was needed for the construction of the house during the settling and colonial era, they have a abolitionist quilt that was created during the enlightenment and civil war era, and so on. Another thing that they have on display within the exhibit is that it display how the women during the abolitionist period would gather together to share stories while they knit and sew. The exhibit has multiple QR codes that helps the audience access more information about the house on Salem is, what efforts are being done to preserve the house and how it is being used now.
The purpose of the exhibit in question is to bring more awareness of historically important conservation of historical landmarks. The exhibit does a unique display with in which they are showing the viewing public the important of the history that some of these buildings are carry as many houses have been around for decades or maybe centuries carrying an incredible legacy with them. The target audience is the general adult audience or those who are curious about the house in question, as a large amount of time many people have no idea of the historical significant that some homes may carry in term of how many generation the house has been standing or the number of influential families that have lived within the house. This project seemed incredible hard to pull off due to just how much they were able to fit in such a small place within the museum itself. The interior room that this exhibit is located is just a small section within the museum itself. The room itself is able to fit a two and a half story house within the room in question and has 5 different section that display the different time within history that they house involved in throughout history. The Curators need to careful construct each section to full its purpose, while also being careful to leave enough space for the rest of the exhibit. The exhibit fulfills it purpose to show the people the important of the Salem house and the major events that it would be a part of while also giving the viewing public a unique and informative experience, and one that was extremely memorable as you get to learn about each of the families and the impact that they were able to leave behind.
