>Which are the most innovative history museums in the country?
>Which are the most innovative museums in Washington, D.C.?
>What is the most innovative technology/approach in history museums?

I would nominate the Massantucket Pequot Museum (Connectictut) as one of
the most innovative history museums in the country. The way they manage
flow through the exhibition spaces and layer information within the
exhibits results in engaging experiences for a broad range of visitors.
Particularly compelling approaches include:

- Replica objects mounted by exhibit cases and dioramas, so you can
touch what you see;
- Interpretation addressing what we know about the cultures, how we
learned this, and why the museum is presenting the particular
interpretation they chose;
- The walk through, life-sized village diorama offers multiple
interpretations using random access audio wand technology (paper scripts
are available for those who cannot hear);
- Accessibility is integral to the design of the architecture,
exhibitions, and interpretive methods, creating a better experience for
all;
- Technology (kiosks, audio guides, and multimedia presentations) is
used to enhance the presentation and fits naturally into the experience
- it is never intrusive.

My best evidence of this museum's effectiveness is through personal
experience. Even though my parents had visited just a few months before,
they drove three hours in the rain to be sure I got to see the
Massantucket Pequot Museum. Although my mother and I pretty much stayed
together, we had very different experiences because of our divergent
interests (I like to know "Why do we know this?" and she likes to know
"How did they do that?") The resulting conversation about our own
experiences and what we learned was quite stimulating - in a way unlike
any of the other museum experiences I have had with my parents since
adulthood.

--
Susan B.F. Wageman
Evaluation Manager                       [log in to unmask]
The Tech Museum of Innovation            408-795-6303
201 South Market Street                  fax: 408-279-7167
San Jose, California USA 95113           http://www.thetech.org

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