Today's announcement regarding upcoming brand changes to the Canadian Museum of Civilization (CMC) speaks to a change in how history is interpreted at Canada's federal museums. As my recent post on National Conceptions of History in Museum Settings noted, the CMC has never been a museum focused solely on the history of Canada. Rather, the … Continue reading Re-branding the Canadian Museum of Civilization
Health Support and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
The final museum I visited while in DC was the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM). The Museum does an excellent job of approaching a difficult subject in a meaningful and respectful manner. The exhibitions are well contextualized and cover the Nazi rise to power, the final solution, response to the Holocaust, and contemporary forms … Continue reading Health Support and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
National Conceptions of History in Museum Settings
Amongst the museums I visited while in DC, my least favourite was The National Museum of American History (NMAH). Upon reflection, it is not that I disliked the content of the museum, I just had a hard time grappling with the national differences of conceptions of history. I expected a grand narrative style of history … Continue reading National Conceptions of History in Museum Settings
Community Curators and Interpretation: The National Museum of the American Indian
Earlier this week I spent a couple of days immersed in the museums, galleries, archives, and monuments that are located in Washington, DC. After some reflection, my visit to the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) was by far the best experience of the trip. I was impressed by the inclusive curatorial practice, the … Continue reading Community Curators and Interpretation: The National Museum of the American Indian
Rolling the Dice With Guided Tours
Our group with our tour guide at the Ermatinger SiteInterpretation can make or break a museum visit. Context, signage, and interpretation strategies are essential to creating a heritage environment which is inviting, educational, and ultimately enjoyable. Properly trained interpretive staff can infuse a visit with enthusiasm, context, and information that isn't always accessible to the … Continue reading Rolling the Dice With Guided Tours
Food Memories and Public History
The latest issue of The Public Historian, "Time's Tables: Food in Public History" had a special focus on the interaction of food and public history. Reading the issue made me hungry and intrigued by the complexity of intertwining food into conceptions of the past.I particularly enjoyed Adam Steinberg's article "What We Talk About When We … Continue reading Food Memories and Public History
Canadian Heritage Cutbacks
This week has been filled with announcements of program cancellations, staff reductions, and budget restrictions. Many of these announcements have been related to Canada's heritage field and have the potential to drastically impact heritage sites, archives, and history preservation across the country. The major announcements include:Library and Archives Canada (LAC) has announced a 20% reduction … Continue reading Canadian Heritage Cutbacks
Museums, Steampunk, and Makers
The first session I attended today at #ncph2012 / #oah2012 was focused on Museums and Makers. The panel included @cathystanton, @katefreedman, and @publichistorian. To give you a taste of the variety and level of fun this session included, some of the things mentioned included: steampunk elephant, fire breathing bicycles, and knitted dragons.Overall, I came away with … Continue reading Museums, Steampunk, and Makers
Architecture and Heritage Institutions
Resnick PavilionArchitecture and design can have a huge impact on how a space is used. This is true in family homes, libraries, art galleries, museums, and buildings of all shapes and sizes. How space is configured, materials used, the amount of natural light, and numerous other factors impact how visitors perceive a heritage institution. Architectural … Continue reading Architecture and Heritage Institutions
Collection Glimpse: Sharon Temple National Historic Site and Museum
This is the fourth segment in a series of posts entitled, "Collection Glimpses." Each post in the series focuses on a unique collection, innovative repository, or a not well known cultural heritage institution.The Sharon Temple National Historic Site is located in Sharon, Ontario, a small community within reasonable driving distance to Toronto. The main feature … Continue reading Collection Glimpse: Sharon Temple National Historic Site and Museum