WHAT ABOUT HISTORY MUSEUMS? History museums increasingly
recognize that although physical artifacts are their ‘medium of
specialization’, they are really multimedia institutions that
use documents, photographs, artwork, sound and video recordings.
These media support the interpretation of artifacts, reflecting
the fact that history is manifested through processes,
personalities and ideas, as well as through physical objects.
While various interpretive media are important, I suggest that
at the heart of a meaningful experience in a history museum are
two particular qualities: authenticity and imaginative
engagement. Authenticity means that a museum must try to show
the “real thing”, whether from its own collections or others. It
must also ensure that the information it communicates is
truthful and comprehensive, balanced and in context. Imaginative
engagement means that the visitor, through the exercise of
personal imagination, constructs meaning from objects, contexts
and narrative interpretation. This approa