Assignment and guidelines: The overall goal is for you to evaluate the portrayal of the past given by the curators of these exhibits. You should consider such
elements as the signage, captions, material objects selected for the exhibition, images used, and the overall experience. Consider also the placement of all
these things in relation to one another and the sequence of material as a visitor walks through the exhibit(s) chronologically. Visiting the exhibit(s), you
should consider the following questions in the notes you take, and in your paper, but you are not limited to these:
What is the overall message and narrative that the NHM Curators present?
What is included, and why do you think it is there?
What is missing? How does this affect the exhibit’s message?
How do the curators present the historical process itself, and how might this bias the lessons learned by visitors in one way or another?
After you make your visit and gather these ideas, write a 8-10 page double-spaced paper, 1-inch margins, 10 or 12 point font only, in which you evaluate the
exhibit for its strengths and weaknesses.
the time period covered will be up to 1847 (Just before the Gold Rush, but NOT including the Gold Rush)
Please use the provided pictures as the material collected from the exhibit. Please directly refer to and critique the material from the exhibits provided in the
pictures.
The current version, while it contains relevant information, does not address the exhibit.
Must have at least 25 citations!!!! (multiple can be from the same source) (exhibit material can be a source)