History 582 Exhibition Practicum

On March 29th, I visited the Soldiers Memorial Military Museum and toured St. Louis in Service, the museum’s permanent exhibit. St. Louis in Service details the story of St. Louis and its citizens’ involvement in modern conflicts from pre-Revolutionary War to today.

The memorial is in Downtown St. Louis which does bring some issues for visitors. Parking can be very difficult, as the only official parking is street parking. While admission to the museum is free, you will have to pay for parking. Opened in 1938, the memorial features a cenotaph that is inscribed with the names of all the St. Louisans who died in World War One, as well as an incredible mosaic ceiling that honors Gold Star families. The museum is split into two wings with the memorial in the center. 

The museum is split into two wings with the memorial in the center.
Upon entering the East Wing I was greeted by an incredibly helpful attendant who told me the layout of each wing. The Revolutionary War to World War I is featured in the East gallery, while the West gallery features World War Two to the present. You can theoretically view the galleries in any way you want, but I decided to view them chronologically and started in the East gallery.

Both galleries have a very similar layout with each end having a large timeline that displays the events and period covered by that side of the gallery, as well as a center section with a special display. The galleries flow in a counterclockwise direction around the center display, but visitors can view it in any way they please if they are not interested in chronological learning.

The right section of the East gallery covers 1750 to 1900, while the left section is from 1914 to 1918. The center display of the East gallery features a bell from the USS St. Louis, a protected cruiser used in WWI. This section discusses the history of all seven ships that have carried the name USS St. Louis. It also details the meaning behind the four large statues that adorn the outside of the memorial and has small, touchable models of each. In the West gallery, the right side discusses 1939 to 1945, while the left covers 1947 to today. The center is a display of modern uniforms from every branch of the military, as well as changing pictures of soldiers from St. Louis and two interactive touch screens that allow you to sort through the names and stories of other soldiers from St. Louis.

The artifacts, while all related to the military, have quite an incredible range. From something as small as a pocket Virgin Mary figure carried by a man in WWI to something as large as a WWII aircraft gun turret made by local company Emerson Electric, it is a magnificent collection. The text that accompanied each artifact helped bring them to life and told an excellent story. Some of my favorites were the WWI dog tags that told a brief story of each man they had once belonged to.

The interactives were perhaps my favorite part of the exhibit. They had large touchscreens where visitors could play games, go through items in the collection, and even listen to oral histories. These features add a new layer of learning and are incredibly helpful. My favorite interactive was in the East gallery which allowed visitors to design their own Iron Clad ship. The interactive allowed you to choose hull shape, gun deck type, armor, propulsion, and armament. After you completed your selections, it would walk you through a series of tests that would determine if your Iron-Clad ship design was successful or not. This helped me to understand how these ships worked and how they were useful during the Civil War.

The majority of the readily available accessibility features were braille signage and images throughout the exhibit. They also have audio descriptions available through their website. The galleries are both quite accessible with everything being spaced out well. There were a few issues I saw with accessibility in the exhibit. First, the galleries were both quite dark. The cases and text were well-lit, but navigating darker spaces may be challenging for some. Another thing is that some of the cases and text were too high and might be difficult for someone in a wheelchair to read.

One thing that I could not find in the exhibit was any information on who the curator was or any form of bibliography. I may have received this information from the front desk but I did not think to ask at the moment.

I think the exhibit did an excellent job of presenting the stories of everyday St. Louisans to help show audiences how St. Louis, a city far from most battlefields, is deeply rooted in military history. They focused on stories of people from all different backgrounds, not just what people would find the most shocking or interesting. My main complaint was that the galleries were quite dark, but in historic buildings like that, it is often difficult to get good lighting. I believe this exhibit is excellent for anyone and would be easily understood by people with very little war knowledge.

The Crown Jewels: Donation Highlights exhibit at the World Chess Hall of Fame offers visitors a captivating look at the artistry and historical significance of chess through a collection of donated sets, artworks, and memorabilia. Curated by Nicole Tessmer, the exhibit showcases the generosity of Chess Collectors International members and individual donors. During my visit over the weekend, I was impressed by how the exhibit combined elegance with accessibility this free to the public exhibit is a must visit for any fan of art or chess.

Crown Jewels targets chess enthusiasts, historians, art lovers, and casual visitors interested in the intersection of strategy, craftsmanship, and history. The World Chess Hall of Fame describes the exhibit as “Donated chess artifacts reveal the artistic, cultural, and historical evolution of chess as both a game and a global phenomenon.” But I believe that Crown Jewels asks, “How is a board game so integral to the understanding of art and culture throughout the world?”

Blending artistic expression, and historical documentation, Crown Jewels highlights Chess as more than a game. Chess is community, creativity, diplomacy, and inclusion. The display includes luxurious and rare sets, such as the Hungarian Silver and Copper Enamel Chess Set and the bespoke chess set created for the Shah of Iran. The collection also includes ivory chess sets from India and China dating back to the 1800s, offering a glimpse into traditional carving techniques and material culture. These sets within the collection of the WCHOF showcase the intricacies and details that each culture used to express their life onto the board. From the tilework patterns of Islamic inspired boards, to the brutalist copper board centered in the room.

The exhibit explores multiple themes, from the evolution of chess set design to the significance of chess in different societies. Chess as fashion and in the zeitgeist are also integral pieces in the exhibit. Political and economic implications emerge through items like the 2016 Chess Olympiad Gold Medal won by the U.S. Team in Baku, Azerbaijan and memorabilia from renowned chess players such as Garry Kasparov and Emanuel Lasker. The artifacts related to Hall of Fame inductees provide a narrative linking chess history to key figures who shaped the game’s development.

While the exhibit does not have strong biases, with many cultures represented. Although chess has a large Western History, WCHOF sought out to showcase art from around the world throughout this exhibit.

One of the standout features of the exhibit is its striking design. Using a pinball-style layout, guests are able to travel fluidly around the exhibit without losing any part of the narrative. The layout allows for free movement, with well-spaced displays that invite visitors to engage at their own pace. Clear signage and thematic sections make it easy to explore the collection in an intuitive manner. Unlike strictly linear exhibits, Crown Jewels offers a more self-guided experience, which suits the varied interests of its audience.

The exhibit functions effectively, but a few potential improvements would be fixing sound issues, as the exhibit is located on the first floor, which lead to creaking from the exhibit above, creating an auditory barrier that made it hard to focus on some of the labels. Making clear marking of interactive displays, because there was a chessboard that was able to be used in the exhibit but it was not clearly marked, which meant that it could not be used to its intended intent.

The visual appeal of Crown Jewels is a standout feature. The exhibit effectively uses lighting to highlight the fine details of the chess sets, and the display cases are arranged to maximize visibility. The collection on the walls included a mix of photographs, diagrams, and textual descriptions, but the emphasis is primarily on the objects themselves.

One issue I noticed in terms of design was the didactic labeling. While the labels were generally explanatory and well-written, some were positioned too low to read easily, which could be a challenge for some visitors. Adjusting the placement of these labels would improve accessibility without compromising the overall aesthetic of the exhibit.

The balance between text and imagery leans toward a visually driven experience, which works well for an exhibit of this nature. The exhibit’s color scheme is elegant, using dark backgrounds to make the artifacts pop, and the fonts used for descriptions are legible and well-sized for most visitors. Using what seemed to be contact paper or vinyl, the walls were nearly as striking as the chess memorabilia on display. The accessibility of the exhibit is strong overall, though adding audio descriptions or guided tours could further enhance inclusivity. An option which has been optional in the past via QR Code.

Overall, Crown Jewels: Donation Highlights is an impressive and visually stunning exhibit that successfully showcases the artistic and historical dimensions of chess. Its strengths lie in the quality of the artifacts, the thoughtful curation, and the elegant presentation. However, the exhibit can benefit from different label placement, better interactivity, and some soundproofing from above.

Finally, chess is both an artistic medium and an intellectual foray that has inspired cultures around the world. The exhibit clearly shows how chess can be artistic as well as competitive through its use of pictures, ornate boards, and books that take the viewer through the history of the game. This exhibit offers a valuable experience for seasoned chess enthusiasts as well as newcomers to the game, reinforcing the World Chess Hall of Fame’s status as a leading institution dedicated to the history and appreciation of chess.

The Illinois Military Museum, located on Camp Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois, houses the state’s Military history, focusing primarily on the long Illinois Militia and National Guard history, but also covering military service by Illinois residents across multiple conflicts, from Indian Wars to Afghanistan and Iraq. While its most famous relic is not on display, Santa Ana’s wooden leg, the museum is a place worth visiting for an enjoyable afternoon.

Your visit to the Museum starts with outdoor displays of various military equipment, most notably an AH-1S Cobra and UH-1H Huey Helicopters, as well as some tanks and other equipment. Part of the Museum’s outdoor static display is located at the entrance to Camp Lincoln and are inaccessible up close to the general public.

The museum itself is housed in the oldest building on Camp Lincoln, the 1903 Commissary building, built in the Romanesque style of architecture and reminiscent of a castle. The first floor has a small admissions/gift shop area, a flex space for events, restrooms and access to the vault (not open to the public), as well as a few small displays. The main viewing gallery, however, is located on the second floor, accessible by stairs or elevator.

Laid out in a directed path and generally chronologically, though you must past through some of the more recent actions (Iraq and Afghanistan) to reach the oldest history from the Mexican American War and establishment of Illinois Militia Regiments (predating the Illinois National Guard). Swords, sabers, rank, medals, hats and uniforms from this period are on display inside cases. Exhibit signs, although typewritten on simple parchment paper, are informative and discuss the Militia’s transformation to the Illinois National Guard, starting with the Milita Act in 1903 that provided federal funding for equipment and training and began the process of standardization for the fully integrated National Guard of today.

From here, the Museum pivots to an in-depth look at the civil war and includes multiple artifacts from both sides of the conflict. On display are just a couple of the extensive flag collection the museum maintains from this and other eras. These flag displays are rotated to help preserve the fragile material.

From here, the museum covers conflicts from the Mexican-American War, World War I (including an interesting audio preservation from inside a WWI Bunker), WWII, the Korean and Vietnam Wars. In this portion of the museum, the exhibits include highly developed dioramas with professional labeling, high-lighting units and individual accomplishments.

World War I Trench Diorama

This flows into the more modern era, including not only Desert Storm, but also Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. This section also details the National Guard’s support to domestic operations, unique among the armed services, such as during the Great Flood of 1993, Covid and other domestic operations.

As mentioned, the museum’s most famous exhibit, Santa Anna’s wooden leg, taken by 4^th Regiment Illinois Volunteers Militia members during the route of the Mexican Army in the Mexican-American War during the battle of Cerro Gordo in 1847, is not on display and has not been for some time. According to museum volunteers, the leg had been on continuous display for decades and it is in severe need of conservation.

Though federally and state supported, the museum still lacks the resources to complete this conservation so the leg sits in climate-controlled storage (along with approximately 80 percent of the museum’s collection), awaiting the day it can be restored and put back on display. In the meanwhile, there is no indication that this relic of history exists in the museum. A short presentation, picture and description along with an “this exhibit is undergoing restoration” would help to keep this story alive and help console visitors disappointed with not being able to see this unique part of Illinois military history. Still, there is plenty to see in the rest of the museum, which is well worth the trip.

The address listed is 1301 N. MacArthur Boulevard, which is actually Camp Lincoln, headquarters for the Illinois National Guard, but access to the museum is not through Camp Lincoln’s main gate. Instead, continue north on MacArthur past the main gate approximately 1,000 feet to get to the Museum’s own entrance. The museum is open Tuesday-Friday 1-4:30 pm and Saturday 9-12 and 1-4:30. Admission is free; however they do accept donations.

The museum also participates in the Explorer Passport as one of 12 Abe’s (Abraham Lincoln) Hat Hunt Sticker Stops throughout the Springfield area. For more information on the  Illinois State Military Museum visit their website at https://militaryaffairs.illinois.gov/ilmilitarymuseum.html. You can also see more about Abe’s Hat Hunt on the Visit Springfield Illinois website at https://www.visitspringfieldillinois.com/Landing/AbesHatHunt.aspx.

Recently, I was given the opportunity to visit the St. Louis Art Museum (SLAM) and see their temporary exhibit Narrative Wisdom and African Art, which ran from October 19, 2024–February 16, 2025, a few weeks before it closed. Curated by Nichole N. Bridges, the Morton D. May Curator of the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, curatorial assistant Amy Clark and research assistant Elyse D. Schaeffer, the exhibit contains African art that tells oral and collective histories not through words, but through imagery. As the website states, “By underscoring the mutability of meanings associated with African narrative arts, the exhibition challenges Western constructs of narrative.” While the exhibition featured fantastic pieces that did challenge Western notions of storytelling, it felt disjointed and almost lacking in a sense. 

This was my first trip to SLAM despite having lived in St. Louis for about 2 years in total.  Thankfully, I was with others who had been to the museum, and they were able to lead me, as finding the exhibition may be tricky for those entering from the main hall. Located in Taylor Hall in the East Building, the exhibition is the only section of the museum that is not free. Once visitors get their tickets from the desk, which is located just near the exhibition entrance along with a coat check and a bathroom, they can begin the exhibition. Visitors are greeted by a bright blue wall that displays the title of the exhibition, to the left of which is a few paragraphs that discusses oral traditions and how they can be told through art. As visitors enter the exhibition to a small room, painted in the same bright blue, they are met with modern music that includes the sounds of the ocean and tradition African beats. This music is a piece of art in the exhibition. Ties That Bind, is a musical work by Emeka Ogboh that incorporates thumb piano, the main instrument featured in the room.

Upon exiting this room, visitors enter the main exhibition space and are greeted by a bright yellow half wall displaying intricately carved doors. This is the beginning of “Leadership and Powerplay,” a section that displays art that was commissioned by rulers or made in their honor. Following this is “Memory: Place and Commemoration,” which displays pieces that focus on telling the story of a particular place. “Foretelling: Destiny and Healing,” comes next and contains artwork that represents divination traditions. The final section, “Ancestral Wisdoms and Allegory,” features pieces that depict inherited wisdom in new ways. 

As someone who works in museum education, one of my favorite parts of the exhibition was what they call the Explore Lab. Located in the back of the exhibition, this section has reading material for all ages and features cards with prompts that help promote discussions about the exhibit. Spaces like these give visitors a place to sit and reflect upon what they have seen. I am a firm believer that art is a fantastic way to express emotions, and this space offers visitors the chance to do that. It was evident by the art pieces left, that many people had taken advantage of this space and were excited about sharing what they learned. 

The text in the exhibition was quite good, although a bit long at times, it provided helpful information for visitors to understand each piece they were seeing. The one issue I did have with the text was the pieces of text that introduced each section. These were placed in strange location relative to the way visitors would naturally flow through the gallery space. They were often placed on a strip of color to help them stand out, but I often walked by them without even realizing. 

 The main exhibit space, while a decent size, feels almost like a winding maze. The many half walls and display cases in the middle of rooms makes you feel like you are always dodging something. While the space is quite large, it only has one bench. This may make the exhibit difficult to view for some visitors with mobility issues, but they did seem to have folding stools that visitors could carry around it needed. The aisles were large enough to move a wheelchair through, but it may have been difficult to do so. 

Overall, I did enjoy the exhibit, and the pieces featured in the exhibit were incredible, but the way in which the exhibition was presented felt disjointed. While all the pieces told oral traditions in some way, none of the sections really felt connected. The pieces did do an excellent job in challenging Western notions of how oral traditions can be told in non-traditional ways, but they were laid out in a way that made me feel confused at times. Perhaps it was just my history brain, but seeing modern tapestries of President Obama next to intricately carved chairs that were hundreds of years old could feel disorienting at times.   

Recently, I visited the Gateway Arch National Park and took the time to explore the 1840–1860 Manifest Destiny Exhibit, which seeks to “examine the conversations and conflicts among Spanish explorers, Indigenous Peoples, and American settlers during the westward expansion of the United States.” Designed to provide a nuanced understanding of Manifest Destiny—a concept that justified territorial expansion at the expense of Indigenous sovereignty—the exhibit poses the question, “Was Manifest Destiny truly destiny or design?”

The exhibit was curated by the chief curator of the Gateway Arch National Park, Jennifer Clark, although she is not credited in the exhibit itself. Interestingly, this is also the only exhibit in the museum without a clear sponsor, while others are prominently supported by various organizations.

Although the museum seeks to engage visitors through historical narratives and interactive displays, its attempt to present three differing viewpoints results in a muddled message that ultimately overlooks the implicit power dynamics and the displacement of Native People during this period.

Visitors experience the exhibit through a mix of digital and physical storytelling. A large interactive map allows users to visualize territorial changes over time, illustrating how the United States expanded westward. The exhibit’s layout is circular, with visitors engaging with the story in a non-linear way, jumping from perspective to perspective depending on which wall the visitor gravitated towards. However, there is flexibility in navigation, allowing visitors to explore topics in how they please.

Manifest Destiny shaped the territorial expansion of the United States, bringing both opportunities and conflicts among diverse groups. This framing highlights the large geopolitical shifts of the 19th century but minimizes the violent displacement of Indigenous communities. The exhibit is designed for a general audience, particularly tourists and students, with an emphasis on interactive engagement rather than deep historical critique. Some of the didactic labelling is clearly at a higher reading level. This is apparent because during my visit a mother was reading all of the labels to her 6th grader to help with homework.

While the exhibit does contribute to a broad understanding of Manifest Destiny, it adopts a largely neutral tone, often treating American expansion as an inevitable process rather than a contested historical event. This choice downplays the moral and ethical dilemmas associated with forced removals, broken treaties, and cultural erasure. A more in depth perspective would help to illuminate the overall thoughts of the Natives on the westward expansion. Something that is somewhat shown throughout the rest of the museum, but this particular portion focuses only on the initial push for Manifest Destiny.

In terms of functionality, the exhibit is well-organized, but improvements could be made. Some of the digital interactive slides would move far too quickly to read, and some of the labelling was probably hard for a younger audience to understand. A clearer flow of information would enhance comprehension, and help to streamline the visitor experience.

The exhibit employs a combination of photographs, drawings, maps, and dioramas to present its narrative. Archival documents and artifacts, such as treaty papers, weapons, and settler tools, offer tangible connections to history. However, while these elements enhance the exhibit’s visual appeal, the textual content sometimes oversimplifies complex events.

The color scheme is dominated by reds, browns, golds, and greens which somewhat related to the color of a stagecoach. The font choices are generally legible, but some informational plaques feature small text, making them difficult to read from a distance. Captions accompanying images are informative, and often if they were on a virtual screen they would be accompanied by a narrator.

One of the exhibit’s key shortcomings is its implicit bias. While it acknowledges the conflicts between settlers and Indigenous groups, it often frames these conflicts as unfortunate but necessary steps toward national growth. The term “conversations” is frequently used to describe interactions that were, in reality, violent and coercive. This choice of language subtly reinforces a settler-colonial perspective, presenting expansion as a fait accompli rather than a series of contentious and often unjust events.

A more balanced approach would involve a stronger emphasis on Indigenous agency and resistance. Incorporating more direct testimonies, primary sources from Indigenous historians, and critical perspectives on U.S. policy could provide a richer, more accurate portrayal of Manifest Destiny’s impact.

The Manifest Destiny exhibit at Gateway Arch National Park succeeds in presenting a visually compelling and interactive introduction to a pivotal era in American history. Its use of maps and artifacts effectively conveys the scale and impact of westward expansion. However, the exhibit’s reluctance to fully critique the consequences of Manifest Destiny—especially for Indigenous populations—limits its educational potential.

To improve, the exhibit should:

1. Provide a bibliography or suggested readings for deeper exploration.
2. Explicitly credit curators and highlight diverse scholarly perspectives.
3. Expand Indigenous voices within the narrative to counteract settler-centric interpretations.
4. Improve digital display functionality and text readability for accessibility.

Ultimately, the Manifest Destiny exhibit does what many history museums still struggle with, it tells a compelling story but hesitates to confront the full weight of its implications. While it captivates with visuals and interactivity, its reluctance to challenge settler-centric narratives leaves a crucial gap. Without deeper Indigenous representation and or a more critical lens, the exhibit risks turning a history of displacement and resistance into a sanitized tale of progress. It’s a step toward understanding, but not the whole journey. Overall, the exhibit is a solid educational tool but requires a more critical framework to engage with the complex legacies of American expansion.

The Work of Art: The Federal Art Project, 1935-1943 at the Saint Louis Art Museum, is an Exhibition on display through April 13, 2025 of various works of art created by African American, Asian American and Female artists under the Federal Art Project. Created as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, the program put thousands of artists to work creating art for public buildings during the depression.

Pulled from the museum’s permanent collection of Works Progress Administration (WPA) holdings, 58 works of art are displayed in two galleries, Gallery 235 and the Sidney S. and Sadie M. Cohen Gallery 234. For just 58 individual works, the exhibition manages to capture not only the spirit of the Federal Art Project, but also the mechanics and just how wide the net was cast to include all and everyone who had something to contribute. In doing so, stories and works from marginalized populations had been preserved and made available to tell one aspect of the New Deal era, the WPA and the Federal Art Project.

Organized geographically, the exhibition highlights both the breadth of the program across the country, and the diversity of project artists, by ethnicity, sex, age and even artistic ability. Even the mediums used varied from paint to charcoal, linocut, crayon lithograph, water color and wood carving. The exhibition was curated to “celebrate the fundamental idea of art being made by and for everyone”. Perhaps no display in the exhibit exudes this more than the Children’s Art Display of 15 works completed by young Black students at the LeMoyne Federal Art Center in Memphis, from 1938 to 1941. The works are located in Gallery 235 along the wall furthest from the Main Hall. Stacked in columns of three, the bright colors and varied themes pull you into the collection.

Much of the work reflect the art and style of the WPA, in terms of the heroic nature of the human spirit, our industrious nature and the progress of man. Reminiscent of Soviet Era works meant to inspire and uplift, works on display such as Raymond Steth’s Beacon of Defense, 1941showcase America’s industrial might transferred to its military strength.

The art is presented by City, and works from Memphis, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Washington D.C., New Orleans, Cleveland, Boston, Chicago, New York City and the west coast cities of San Francisco and Seattle are included. Saint Louis gets a special treatment, with an homage to the People’s Art Center including, in addition to art, photographs and programs from the Center.

For the most part, the galleries are devoid of furniture except for two benches in 234 and a two-sided kiosk in each space, each highlighting an aspect of the Federal Art Program and a special piece of art on each side, such as Selma Day’s Mural Study, 1936 or 1937, an oil on panel presentation of the nursey rhyme, “Little Boy Blue”.

Taking advantage of Friday’s free entrance to all exhibitions, I visited on January 31st, 2025, to a bustling but not overcrowded museum. Free parking is available and if the lots are filled, additional free parking is located on the streets surrounding the museum. The exhibition galleries are located to the rear right of the Main Hall as you enter the Museum. Each gallery space is enclosed and the works presented along the four walls of each gallery, with a center kiosk in each room highlighting both the exhibit and the Federal Art Project. There is a companion website (https://www.slam.org/exhibitions/the-work-of-art-the-federal-art-project-1935-1943/) which includes a description of the program, transcripts of the audio guide available in both galleries, as well as biographies of the co-curators and more in-depth descriptions of the various works. The website, however, does not adequately represent the full breadth of the works presented in the galleries. I was impressed with the pieces on display, and admittedly, did not have a good understanding of what was being presented going into the exhibit, but left with a desire to learn more about this aspect of the Federal Art Project.

The exhibit was curated by Clare Kobasa, associate curator of prints, drawings and photographs, and Amy Torbert, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Associate Curator of American Art. It runs through April 13, 2025. After touring their well-curated exhibit, you may feel like me and want to explore additional Federal Art Project works. I encourage you to do so.

Over Spring Break, I had the opportunity to visit the Nebraska History Museum for the first time in many years. Growing up in Lincoln, Nebraska, I spent a lot of my summers exploring the Nebraska History Museum. However, since as long as I can remember, the museum has always struggled in getting visitors and producing quality exhibits. Most of my encounters at the museum consisted of hearing about exciting titles of exhibits in the newspaper only to discover that the actual exhibit never met expectations.

The Nebraska History Museum is located across from the state capital building in downtown Lincoln, Nebraska. Consisting of three floors, the first floor is dedicated to permanent exhibits, the second floor is for traveling and temporary exhibits and the third and final floor is used for community engagement.

On my most recent visit, I encountered a temporary exhibit titled “Collecting Moments- 2020 Nebraska. Located on the second floor, the exhibit is placed in a hallway between the restrooms, a more permanent exhibit and digital learning class rooms. The names of the curators are not included on the exhibit nor is there a bibliography present. Both the bibliographical and curatorial information was also not present on the museum’s website.

Though the Nebraska History Museum has historically struggled in engaging their audience in the exhibits by the Nebraska State Historical Society, the museum’s new temporary exhibit, “Collecting Moments- 2020 in Nebraska” successfully incorporates recent history into the lives of Nebraskans as well as demonstrates a promising step forward in the meaning making process for museum goers at the institution. By using different modes of materials and media from the 2022 Covid-19 pandemic, the Nebraska Historical Society is able to effectively communicate the controversies and protests surrounding the pandemic.

As indicated by the map above, the traffic flow of the exhibit occurs naturally when the viewers move from the large exhibit next to it (number 3 on the map) and the digital class rooms.

“Collecting Moments- 2020 in Nebraska ” is an exhibit presented by the Nebraska Historical society that displays collected photos materials of Nebraskans and their experiences during the 2019-2022 Covid-19 Pandemic. As part of a continuing initiative to encourage Nebraskans to collect pieces of recent history, the exhibit frames the history of the pandemic as way to view history as something that occurs every day and effects every one of us. The exhibit is indicated by a blue wall. This blue wall is noted by the exhibit to be the Panetone color of the year for 2022, Classic Blue, and is supposed to represent the “enduring spirit of Americans in times of uncertainty (like the pandemic years). At the front of the exhibit the first plaques describe how the pandemic affected people of all races, religions, and genders within Nebraska. Below the plaque is an empty staging box that lists the ways in which the audience and collect and donate materials for the Museum’s ongoing mission to document the pandemic. The digital monitors on the wall play a constant slide show of photographs depicting iconic images of the pandemic in Nebraska. Some of these photos include images of anti-masking protests, BLM protests, and support rallies for healthcare workers.

In the middle of the wall a large quilt made of masks by the Nebraska Quilting Association and sits as the focal point of the entire exhibit. Flanked by two glass cases, the case on the left held signs that individuals showed their loved ones in hospital quarantine and bottles of hand sanitizer that were made by local distilleries. The case on the right held BLM protest signs, pieces of rubber bullets, sandbags, pepper spray and broken tear gas canisters.

Overall, I was really impressed that the museum even attempted to display an exhibit dedicated to the pandemic and incorporated contemporary historical practices into the display. Many individuals in Nebraska rejected the idea of Covid-19 during the pandemic and engaged in a significant amount of racial and political violence from 2019-2022. By framing the pandemic as something that reached every Nebraskan, the exhibit curators were able to reach an audience of people that would normally be apprehensive to discussing the pandemic. In addition, the exhibit detailed iconic shared memories that Nebraskans would remember (such as socially distanced popular annual sports events in Nebraska). This only added to the feeling of engagement among the audience members. The exhibit discusses multiple facets of the pandemic. Ranging from economic crisis to commenting on the large loss of life during the pandemic, the exhibits touches on the economic, political and racial aspects of the period. Visually, though the exhibit was only a section of a hallway, the blue wall and the striking image of the full size quilt drew my attention almost immediately. The exhibit was very easy to navigate from left to right. The amount of text was appropriate for the amount of objects and did not take away from the experience. Rather the text aided in explaining why such items were chosen and how the viewer could contribute to the growing collection of pandemic artifacts.

Collectively the Nebraska History Museum succeeds in capturing the viewer’s attention through the presentation of iconic images and materials that were symbolic of the Covid-19 pandemic. More importantly, the exhibit encourages the viewers to engage in the meaning making process by asking museum goers to collect and donate items that they deem to be symbolic of the pandemic. By including the local community in document such history, the institution establishes a better sense of shared authority with the communities that the museum represents.

However, despite the exhibit’s strong ability to connect the audience to historical documentation of real world events, the placement and overall tone of the exhibit alludes to the difficulty in discussing the pandemic in a conservative state. The exhibit itself is placed almost as an after thought next to a doll house (that is part of another exhibit) and the restrooms. While the museum’s volume level was relatively quiet throughout, the placement of the exhibit near the busy restrooms took away from the experience and my partner and I found it very distracting. It is definitely possible for viewers to entirely miss the exhibit if they do not walk all the way around the second floor.

There is also bias present in the exhibit as well. The language used on the signage does not take a stance with the political protests or the anti-mask movement that was prominent in the state at the time. Facts about the racial violence and attacks that occurred in the state were also not mentioned. In a way it seems as though the museum held back on the presentation of facts on the exhibit in order to garner local support for the exhibit. As Mexican-American woman and native Nebraskan, I also would have liked to see more information on the political climate during covid and representation of the vibrant Mexican-American community in Nebraska to be included.

Walking into the exhibit space at the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site evokes images of a child’s imagination or a still image from an early 2000’s TV program. Bright blues and three-dimensional arrays cascade along a wall dedicated to the lives of Lewis and Clark, with a bronze statue serving as the focal point for the entrance. After walking through a section relaying the trade artifacts, outlining the various tribes interacted with, and the general goals of the early explorers of America, one is greeted by a tremendous spectacle: half of a wooden vessel parked in the center of a hall of wooden items. This is a model of the boat used by Lewis and Clark on their expedition to the Pacific.

This model spans most of the area it resides in, along with filling about a quarter of the horizontal space available. This ship is bisected as well, allowing one to see the inside of the ship and how certain items and provisions would be stored. For example, there are sections of bisected barrels that show the inside containing salted pork, trade items, and even alcohol that would have served to keep the crew alive. As one traverses from the back of the boat towards the front, on their left is the exterior of the boat if they walked down the right side of the boat from the back, with further panels and items expanding upon the tools, lifestyle, and future of the unit. If one were to walk on the left, they would be informed about various aspects of woodworking, trade, and the scientific discoveries made by the Lewis and Clark group during their adventure.

This exhibit showed many different facets of the expedition, but it also showed light upon lesser-known facts of the crew and adventure, such as how the language was translated from English all the way to the specific tribal language spoken where they traveled. In addition, this exhibit was heavily interactive with various stamp stations which would engage children to find various objects or trace certain lines on a map, but it also had interactive physical elements, such as a flap on a cloth bag that would give information within.

This exhibit featured an extensive use of three-dimensional learning aids with an appropriate amount of text for both children and adults. However, this exhibit did not have any sort of reading aids for those that may be visually impaired. This museum did feature a comprehensive design for those that are wheelchair-bound or mobility impaired, as the floor plan was open, flat, and featured ramps that lead from lower to higher areas. In addition to this, there was a linear mapping for the exhibit, which went from a timeline and introduction to essential information, then an optional movie, and then the final major exhibit: the boat. After this was a small closing section that discussed the aftermath of the expedition and a small display case that had an accompanying legend of the items.

Overall, this museum is one that is easily accessible, child friendly, and also stimulating with its array of displays and physical items. There may have been a slight slant in the story-telling, as it is a historic site dedicated to Lewis and Clark, but it also allowed some smaller details that usually aren’t highlighted to shine. This boat exhibit is one of the most exciting I’ve seen and it is still an enjoyable experience, regardless of age or knowledge.