Ringing In The New Year With "Museum Spirit"
Although he could have lived anywhere in the world, Louis Armstrong lived in a modest brick house on 107th Street in Corona, Queens, from 1943 until he died in his sleep there in 1971. I could have ferreted out that information on the Web, but instead, I learned about Louis Armstrong by actually visiting his house, which is now a museum and National Historic Landmark. With bar none, the coolest kitchen (below) I've ever seen.
There's something interesting in visiting a place and feeling, if not precisely the "ghosts" of the past, at least the "spirit" of the people who passed that way before you. I have felt that way when visiting Graceland and the Mark Twain House, but also in particular outdoor locations like The Old North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts. There was something very evocative in all of those spots --- almost as if each one of those spaces had a "personality."
One of the best things I've ever heard said about the original Exploratorium was that it felt like you'd walked into Frank Oppenheimer's workshop after he had just stepped outside for a minute. The feeling that real people with real interests and foibles have created something for you to experience is one of the most potent and authentic museum experiences.
This authentic museum "spirit" is not something that just casually occurs or manifests itself through some sort of formulaic exhibit development process. But when all the elements of such a museum experience come together, they form something that really cannot occur in any other medium.
Here's wishing you a "spirited" start to thinking about the museum spaces you will work in this year!
Paul Orselli writes the posts on ExhibiTricks. Paul likes to combine interesting people, ideas, and materials to make exhibits (and entire museums!) with his company POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.) Let's work on a project together!
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