In our last Secret Lives of Michigan Objects video post, we explored the exhibit’s Cabinet of Curiosities. In today’s post we’re taking a look at another staff and visitor favorite – That 70s Basement. This section of the exhibit is an example of a Period Room. Period Rooms are built environments that replicate the look and feel of a particular time period. They are popular among historians and museum visitors alike, because they to allow us to peek into the past and see the way people lived at different points in history.
Period Rooms always try to tell some sort of story. When historians put them together, one of their goals is that museum visitors will be able to recreate the story in their mind, based on the objects in the room and how they are arranged. The next time you look at a Period Room, try to imagine that the people who live or work there have just stepped out for a moment, leaving whatever they were doing behind. Make observations about the kinds of objects in the room and how they’re placed. What do you think those people were doing before they stepped out?
…and join Curator of Exhibits Jillian Reese for a deep dive into the world of Period Rooms. Then, look at images of other period rooms at the Michigan History Museum and see if you can figure out what story our historians and exhibit designers were trying to tell.
Join curator Jillian Reese for a closer look at the "That 70s Basement" display in the Secret Lives of Michigan Objects special exhibit and a deep dive into the world of Period Rooms.
Scroll through the images in this gallery to experience several of the Period Rooms at the Michigan History Museum. What story do you think the exhibit designers and historians were trying to tell with each one?
The Secret Lives of Michigan Objects page on Michiganology.org features video and audio tours, written summaries, blog posts, images and more to help you experience the exhibit from the comfort of your own home.
