Going behind the scenes of a place gives you a chance to understand how something works-- that is especially true with museums and exhibitions.  Understanding the techniques and stories that are used to create a connection and an impact with the visitor is something we spend a lot of time talking about as we setup the Center for Civil and Human Rights.  Over the past few weeks, we've had the chance to visit two wonderful, and very different institutions.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (Springfield, IL)

The museum in Springfield, IL tells the stories associated with Lincoln's life.  Many reports have been produced about the use of technology in the Museum which opened in 2006.  Yes, there are holograms and a theater that produces smoke rings when a canon is shot and they are memorable.  However, what struck me most was the use of humanity to tell the stories.  Notice in this picture of life-sized mannequins of the Lincoln family and the additional figure on the left, in the background.  Hiding back there is John Wilkes Booth and he is staring over the shoulder of Lincoln.  The same depection of Booth appears in other places in the Museum giving you a sense of lurking as well as reinforcing the story. Throughout the experience, through the use of life-sized rooms (e.g., Lincoln's law office or the White House kitchen), mannequins, voices and the occassional live actor, a visitor gets the "measure of the man".  As you proceed, you get to almost move with Lincoln's world and it humanizes the history.  We were amazed at how excited kids were to be able to "size up" Lincoln, it was a reminder that good storytelling can still be powerful.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (Washington, DC)

The Holocaust Museum has been open since 1993 and remains a powerful experience.  I had visited several times, but this time had a chance to speak with the staff there.  One amazing insight that shared-- there are few if any adjectives in the museum text on the .  Why?  In order to allow visitors to make their own connections between history, the present and their own lives.  Adjectives tend to make us feel as if someone is "preaching" to us and causes us to resist engaging the material.  The wisdom of the Holocaust Museum rests on a deep trust of the audience-- tell an engaging and straightforward story, and the visitor will find the meaning given their personal history. 

Making an emotional and intellectual connection with visitors isn't easy, but when it happens-- a memorable and powerful connection exists between history and present, exhibit and visitor.

DS