I am responding to the list as this is something that may interest others.

One of the first temporary exhibits of the new state history museum in
Raleigh was one that focussed on women in North Carolina's history. I
thought it was very good, particularly in the way it contrasted and compared
the lives of four very different kinds of NC women in the years between the
First and Second World War.

The exhibit featured "photograph albums", large boards of wood or some other
stiff, durable material. As I recall, they were quite large, about 2 feet by
3 (though I may be exaggerating). Each sheet was painted flat black and had
a number of photos mounted on it. The sheets were hinged at one side to form
an album. The caption for each photo was done in white lettering (perhaps
script but I can't remember), as people labelled photo albums in days of
yore. Each group of women had an album.  These were attrractive, durable and
did a great deal to enhance the exhibits. I spoke to the designer who told
me that that part of the exhibition had not worked very well UNTIL they
added the albums. My perception is that the albums, in addition to adding
tangibly to the information, made it clear that the visitor had moved into a
different area from the previous one visited, often a useful thing to do.

I could certainly see the use of such an album in the room of the Rotorua
Museum devoted to women and women's movements, which I found very
interesting when I visited this excellent museum a few years ago. The idea
of the albums is worth trying in many other venues.

Harry Needham Consulting Services Inc.
Consulting, training & research solutions
for heritage institutions - and others!
74 Abbeyhill Drive
Kanata ON K2L 1H1 Canada
(voice) +1.613.831-1068
(fax) +1.613.831-9412
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