What We’re Reading: “This Art Museum Hired a Neuroscientist to Change the Way We Look at Art” -Christopher Snow Hopkins Imagine your professional life as a chaotic compilation of meetings, projects, networking, events, and a traffic-ridden commute – not far from the truth, right? Now …
Historic Beverly is seeking an intern for the fall semester to help with their archaeological collections. The intern will be an undergraduate, graduate student, or recent graduate in archaeology, anthropology, public history, or related field, who is interested in American archaeology. Responsibilities will include: collection inventory, cataloging, and photographing Historic Beverly’s archaeological material excavated from their properties, as well as data entry into their collections database PastPerfect.
REQUIRED: The intern will have taken a methodology of archaeology course, have a basic knowledge of American archaeology, and cataloguing experience. They will have some experience working with a collections management database, preferably PastPerfect. Excavation experience is preferred.
This is an unpaid internship for 10-20 hours per week, Tuesday through Saturday preferred with a full semester commitment.
How to Apply:
Interested applicants should email their resume/CV and a letter of interest to:
Dakota Jackson, Museum Collections Specialist, at djackson@historicbeverly.net
Please include Archaeology Internship in subject line of email. Applications accepted on a rolling basis. No phone calls please.
For more information, click here.
The Moffatt-Ladd House and Garden Presents: Reaching for Truth: Exploring the Issue of Slavery in the Era of the American Revolution Classroom and Museum Educators Participate in an intensive three day workshop from August 1-3. Investigate slavery in Portsmouth and New England during the Revolution, explore the …
It’s hard to get out of our bubbles. Sometimes we don’t want to. Or we don’t have time. Or maybe we just forget. We can get so comfortable in routine that we forget we’re even in a bubble. Hoping none of you are at that …
This week’s contribution comes from Laidy Saenz, who is a current Museum Studies Certificate Student at Tufts.
Incorporating Sensory Experiences in Historic House Museums
Museums are incorporating new trends in display and exhibition methods to enhance the overall visitor experience. Some of these methods involve interactivity and sensory experiences. These heightened sensory experiences may incorporate a combination of, “multimedia presentations, hands-on interaction with artifacts, the use of scent, the presentation of “living” displays, and interactive exhibits in which one may, for example, try on clothing related to the artifacts on display.[1]” Exhibitions that incorporate sensory experiences would be very effective in historic house museum. Stories of the house could be brought to life in a way that is more interesting and engaging. Imagine walking into a historic house and smelling a particular meal that was cooked in the house or trying on replicas of clothing that were worn by people that lived in the house. The Dennis Severs’ House in London is an example of a historical house whose owner has created an immersive experience for visitors. This house, “provides a “rare thing to experience first hand: the warm, smoky light captured by the Old Masters; the creak of footsteps on wood; whispers and opening doors; arresting reflections, mixtures, textures and smells; the ticking and chiming of clocks; a cat and a canary.”[2]
I recently visited an exhibition that incorporated different sensory elements at Le Laboratoire Gallery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This particular exhibition incorporated animation, photography, and sculpture and used sound to heighten the overall experience. This sound created an immersive experience that brought to life the other displays and created a distinctive atmosphere. In the same way a historic house could use sound to bring to life aspects of the house. Something as simple as music playing in the background to highlight the family’s taste in music, or music from an instrument that was played by one of its owners would enliven the visitor experiences and connect them to the aura of the home.
Selecting what type of interactive display or what sense to engage should be done carefully and in line with the interpretation and history of the house. Historic houses could partner with other artists to create displays that highlight a particular sense and highlight a particular story of the house. The leaders of the historic house museum should stay abreast of trends that may be relevant to their particular historic house, evaluate them and implement those that are appropriate for their audience. Understanding the audience and providing relevant memorable experiences is important for the long-term sustainability of the historic house museum.
[1] David Howes, “The Sensory Museum: Its History And Reinvention,” http://www.david-howes.com/senses/SensoryMuseum.htm.
[2] “The Tour,” Dennis Sever’s House, accessed June 18th, 2017, http://www.dennissevershouse.co.uk/the-tour/.
