by Since I arrived in Fairfax, I have taken a liking to my surroundings. The lifestyle, culture, and activities around the DC and Northern Virginia areas are nothing short of spectacular. Of all my favorite things to do, I enjoy frequenting the local museums, as they are rich in knowledge about the topics they aim to teach the curious and the commoner. The ease of access to museums across the DMV area means that anybody who is interested can see multiple museums a day at their own leisure. Of all the museums I have seen so far, the one that caught my eye the most has been the National Museum of African American History & Culture, located in the heart of the Metropolitan DC area. My experience there with a friend was breathtaking, to say the least. Not only are you greeted with its architectural beauty, but the way the museum commands your attention at every corner is nothing short of fun and spectacular. With that in mind, it is this museum that I want to write about, comparing and contrasting its physical exhibits with its digital presence.
Physical Location
As I mentioned before, the museum itself is captivating! Each of the four available floors commands a different topic on African American history, with the overall theme focusing on the enduring legacies and impacts that African Americans had on the United States. Whether it was pop culture, comedy, civil rights, or the untold stories of the past; each exhibit tells the tales of African Americans in such detail that you get immersed in the journey through time in the eyes of African American history. The primary audience seems to revolve around two groups: African Americans and other people who want to understand African American history in greater detail. Each exhibit emphasizes a heavy use of physical items to help tell the stories and topics they aim to educate people on. There is usually a range of 2-4 exhibits on each floor, with each focusing on a different topic of African American history. This layout seems to encourage people to find what exhibits they like at their leisure, with no given order of preference whatsoever. Interactivity seems to be limited to a few exhibits, such as their “Step” participation and interactive searches through different significant items in African American history. The staff present are helpful when it comes to helping people find their way, but much of the curation is reliant on the technology that they have present for explanation and interpretation.
Digital Presence
As for the exhibit’s website, we see a lot of similarities with the physical exhibit. The arguments it makes, along with the audience it aims to reach, are the exact same. The website primarily relies on its archived digital materials for its digital exhibits. Each exhibit can be researched through a variety of areas, such as topic, date/era, name, object type, and place. This layout ensures that people can find specific items or topics that they are looking for. Each digitally exhibited item also has an in-depth summary of its origins and significance in African American history, sharing similarities to its physical exhibition, but contrasts in its accessibility and ease of use. While interaction is relatively limited outside of archival research, there is still an attitude for the website’s desire for viewers to explore and discover answers of their own volition. From what I have also researched, there doesn’t seem to be much interaction with the site’s creators outside of basic work contact information.
Key Takeaways
Upon further review, there are three key takeaways between the similarities and differences between the physical and digital exhibitions. For one, both relay their goals and aims to their platforms and audiences in superb fashion. Through a combination of simplicity and detailed summaries, both the physical and digital exhibits set a shining example of how to properly lay your point across to prospective viewers. Two, we see a different reliance on visual representation. The physical exhibit relies on a combination of interactive and objective elements in order to tell the stories of African Americans in a topical and not-so-linear manner. The digital presence differs from this, instead choosing to have its viewers engage in its research and digital manners, relying on the curiosity or interest of its viewers with more variety of tags to choose from. Lastly, the way they use their available materials in their exhibits, both physically and digitally, to tell the stories of African Americans is handled elegantly. It felt as if each piece of material made available for public consumption is opening a door into the past and guiding you to understand its significance.
Personal Changes and Final Opinions
To conclude, there are some changes that I would consider making if I ran the museum or its website. For the museum itself, the free-roaming aspect itself is a wonderful touch for people to find their allotted topic of interest. However, the exhibits themselves are scattered in a non-linear fashion. I would consider making the exhibits more linear with their topics, while still encouraging a free-roaming presence for viewers to check out. As for the website, I found the lack of creative interactivity to be concerning. While the website itself does a great job of encouraging freedom of research, I believe providing additional creative interactivity is a must. Not everyone may be interested in digging through archival materials or have the knowledge to do so. To that end, additional interactivity such as games, online VR/AR exhibitions, video histories, and other such possibilities might be an avenue to consider. Despite these personal preferences, the exhibit itself lays a solid foundation for its message and amazement. With consideration for the additions mentioned above, or changes of their own, the National Museum of African American History & Culture can stand out as the must-see museum in all of DC, if it isn’t already.
