"Why use replicas?  Our education collection is authentic items that have
come to the collection a variety of ways- we have a standing shopping list
at two reputable local antique dealers and a junk shop- deaccessions,
duplicate donations, etc- I personally prefer it when education uses real
items- they are worn from use and tell a more complete story than a new
reproduction ever could."


I might put forth the thesis that it depends on what issues you are interpreting, and how you want to interpret it. Is it a living history setting? A traditional exhibit with hands on components? Are you interpreting the object as art? The object within specific social and ideological constructs? Within this, one might ask "what interpretive message are you trying to convey? Are you conveying change over time, and how an object is used and valued across generations? Are you trying to demonstrate what an object looked like when new, and the value that generation who produced it placed on the object? The setting- i.e. living history exhibition v. traditional museum exhibition; 1st person v. third person interpretation; costumed v. non-costumed; Synchronic v. Diachronic interpretation can necessarily change the type of objects used. 

Contextualizing any given object/idea/or process within the constraints of a specific point in time through a hands-on/minds on interpretive process might make the use of reproductions more appropriate in some situations than to use an original object. It can also fundementally change the message/interpretive point.

That is not to lessen the importance of handling "the real object" or the "real mccoy" so to speak. The use of "the real thing" or viewing an object elicits an entirely different reaction than a reproduction. Each of these however, can provide it's own learning opportunities in it's own way, and obviously contextualizes an idea or era within each individual historic period and how it relates to present generations. Also, each of these stories is uniquely interesting in its own right, and can reveal a lot about specific generations including our own.

Just some random thoughts on a Friday afternoon. Interesting ideas proposed Nikkie, et. al.

Dan Schoeneberg
Historic Area Manager
Conner Prairie

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