Greetings, Museum-Lers

I am writing a folkstudies theory paper on issues of authenticity,
especially as it relates to living history interpretation at house
museums and historic sites.

Issues I hope to address include: who decides what is authentic at
your site, are there specific guidelines for determining authentic
interpretation, has the authenticity of a site's interpretation
changed over time, why/why not, how do visitors respond to a site's
interpretation.

I am interested in hearing from anyone who has addressed any aspect of
this topic. Please respond privately to the address below, unless you
think the topic has relevance for the list.

Many thanks in advance.

Karen Heege
Folk Studies Program
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY

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