Museum diorama getting too old?

[Pat Answer]

Wow. When a field trip looks to be even more boring than a day at school… SMH
Just like a meeting that should have been an e-mail.

(Google "You Can Live History" if you don't already know what some creative souls have done to capture kids' imaginations…)

 

[Kurtlg]

I don't want to sound as though I am disparaging anyone's work because I have seen many very effective dioramas, but historically speaking, the above diorama is a complete mess. Kids love these things because they look like toys, and in the worst cases are often arranged like a child has been playing with them.

If a diorama isn't historically accurate, and the example above isn't, I would rather this space be occupied with a collection of artifacts.


I have mentioned here before what a disappointing experience the Corinth Interpretive Center was for my little boy. A large portion of the building is wall-to-wall text. I know it isn't a "museum" but my home office has more artifacts than this place. From an educator's perspective, why even go through the trouble of making a school field trip to this place? Why not just distribute a PDF?

View attachment 500768

Looks like the intent was to save money on staff and artifacts and to discourage any visitors from returning.

 

[Cavalier]

A year or so ago, when visiting G burg, my wife and I encountered a young boy sitting at a table in the McDonalds across the street from the battlefield. He was playing with what appeared to be several dozen plastic civil war toy soldiers. Upon talking to his father while eating our lunch we learned that the young lad had visited the large diorama up the street.

The kid appeared to be having a great time for himself. My wife remarked to his father, "looks just like what my husband was doing at his age".

The diorama may need sprucing up if its very old, but if the museum emp!oyees decide to remove it they ought to find another line of work.

John

 

[James Brenner]

It would be interesting to know what adult visitors think of the diorama.

 

[Kurtlg]

A year or so ago, when visiting G burg, my wife and I encountered a young boy sitting at a table in the McDonalds across the street from the battlefield. He was playing with what appeared to be several dozen plastic civil war toy soldiers. Upon talking to his father while eating our lunch we learned that the young lad had visited the large diorama up the street.

The kid appeared to be having a great time for himself. My wife remarked to his father, "looks just like what my husband was doing at his age".

The diorama may need sprucing up if its very old, but if the museum emp!oyees decide to remove it they ought to find another line of work.

John

It's nice to know that even today a child can have fun with some plastic Civil War soldiers just like I did way back in 1962.

 

[archieclement]

I don't want to sound as though I am disparaging anyone's work because I have seen many very effective dioramas, but historically speaking, the above diorama is a complete mess. Kids love these things because they look like toys, and in the worst cases are often arranged like a child has been playing with them.

If a diorama isn't historically accurate, and the example above isn't, I would rather this space be occupied with a collection of artifacts.


I have mentioned here before what a disappointing experience the Corinth Interpretive Center was for my little boy. A large portion of the building is wall-to-wall text. I know it isn't a "museum" but my home office has more artifacts than this place. From an educator's perspective, why even go through the trouble of making a school field trip to this place? Why not just distribute a PDF?

View attachment 500768

I agree these type displays seem a disappointment to me, as most the text is stuff that most who had an interest to attend museum would allready know, so is redundant.

Meanwhile items that are rare, unique or one of a kind and that couldn't be experienced elsewhere, languish in storage unseen.......but somehow generic oversized storyboards seems the trend or rage in recent years.......

 

[major bill]

The diorama is the Siege of Petterburg, but in my opinion not indended to be completely accurate. I think the fact that it is at the Michigan History Museum and not specifically about Michigan solders, may play a part in how the staff sees the diorama. Like while this diorama may show Civil War history, it is not Michigan specific and my not help show Michigan history well. The Museum does mostly use Michigan Civil War artifacts. The Museum does not display the rarest or best muskets and swords from their collection, but displays weapons used by Michigan soldiers.

 

[major bill]

If it is meant to portray a specific action, I would guess Petersburg.

Yes the Siege of Petersburg.

 

[Booner]

.......
Seeing the dioramas as a child at Fort Michilimackinac really made an impact on me.
......

I know exactly the diorama you're speaking about. I was in grade school when I first saw it ( in the early 60's), and it also made a huge impression on me then. 50 Years later I toured the fort again, but mainly just to see the diorama; It was still there and looking as good as ever. It still impresses me.

According to Wikipedia: "The purpose of modern museums is to collect, preserve, interpret, and display objects of artistic, cultural, or scientific significance for the study and education of the public." There is no way to tell how many children have seen that diorama and it was the generator of their interest in the Civil War. The curators of the museum might do well to think about that.

 

[Bruce Vail]

I don't want to sound as though I am disparaging anyone's work because I have seen many very effective dioramas, but historically speaking, the above diorama is a complete mess. Kids love these things because they look like toys, and in the worst cases are often arranged like a child has been playing with them.

If a diorama isn't historically accurate, and the example above isn't, I would rather this space be occupied with a collection of artifacts.


I have mentioned here before what a disappointing experience the Corinth Interpretive Center was for my little boy. A large portion of the building is wall-to-wall text. I know it isn't a "museum" but my home office has more artifacts than this place. From an educator's perspective, why even go through the trouble of making a school field trip to this place? Why not just distribute a PDF?

View attachment 500768

"Kids love these things because they look like toys..."

I'd say the key to the problem is right there. The kids (both young and old) love these fantastic toys, but they don't love the artifacts and displays that professional museum staffers love more.

Does the museum work to indulge kid fantasies, or some better purpose?

 

[Kurtlg]

I know exactly the diorama you're speaking about. I was in grade school when I first saw it ( in the early 60's), and it also made a huge impression on me then. 50 Years later I toured the fort again, but mainly just to see the diorama; It was still there and looking as good as ever. It still impresses me.

According to Wikipedia: "The purpose of modern museums is to collect, preserve, interpret, and display objects of artistic, cultural, or scientific significance for the study and education of the public." There is no way to tell how many children have seen that diorama and it was the generator of their interest in the Civil War. The curators of the museum might do well to think about that.

Yes I was there 5 or 6 years ago and the attack on the fort and Griffon dioramas were still there. I have been there many times over the years and always enjoy it.

 

[bayonet]

The diorama is the Siege of Petterburg, but in my opinion not indended to be completely accurate. I think the fact that it is at the Michigan History Museum and not specifically about Michigan solders, may play a part in how the staff sees the diorama. Like while this diorama may show Civil War history, it is not Michigan specific and my not help show Michigan history well. The Museum does mostly use Michigan Civil War artifacts. The Museum does not display the rarest or best muskets and swords from their collection, but displays weapons used by Michigan soldiers.

Then put together a diorama of the Michigan Wolverines charging at Gettysburg!

 

[major bill]

"Kids love these things because they look like toys..."

I'd say the key to the problem is right there. The kids (both young and old) love these fantastic toys, but they don't love the artifacts and displays that professional museum staffers love more.

Does the museum work to indulge kid fantasies, or some better purpose?

Some good points here. People go to museums for different reasons. Sword collectors would love to see a rare sword in an Ohio Museum. But what if the sword was a rare sword that some sword collector purhased at a Civil War show and the sword which had no connection what so ever to Ohio? A sword collector would love to see it on display. But what about an Ohio resident interested in Ohio Civil War history? Perhaps they would prefer that the display showed a more common sword that had been carried in battle by an Ohio calvaryman? Neither visitor is right or wrong, they just have different perspectives.

I might predict that the curator in an Ohio history museum might well go with sword from an Ohio calvaryman. This might depend on the mission of the Ohio history museum. If it is state funded and the state funds the museum to house items of significance to Ohio, and to tell Ohio history, then displaying the Ohio cavalryman's saber might be the right choice.

So I will return to my home state. The Michigan History Museum displays 8 swords, all documented and labled as to what Michigan Civil War War solder the sword belonged to. Should the curator remove a documented Michigan sword and replace it with a rarer sword with no connection to Michigan? You answer will probably depend on your personal perspective.

 

[bayonet]

I don't want to sound as though I am disparaging anyone's work because I have seen many very effective dioramas, but historically speaking, the above diorama is a complete mess. Kids love these things because they look like toys, and in the worst cases are often arranged like a child has been playing with them.

If a diorama isn't historically accurate, and the example above isn't, I would rather this space be occupied with a collection of artifacts.


I have mentioned here before what a disappointing experience the Corinth Interpretive Center was for my little boy. A large portion of the building is wall-to-wall text. I know it isn't a "museum" but my home office has more artifacts than this place. From an educator's perspective, why even go through the trouble of making a school field trip to this place? Why not just distribute a PDF?

View attachment 500768

oh man that is boring looking. I'll look at it again later tonight to help me fall asleep!

 

[Kurtlg]

Then put together a diorama of the Michigan Wolverines charging at Gettysburg!

Or the 24th Michigan fighting the 26th North Carolina. I'm guessing there aren't any funds to do such a project.

 

[H. J. Durgin]

The employees/staff of this museum whom have an issue with this example of history, may need a switch across their backsides. Come on man !!!

 

[Cavalier]

@Bruce Vail I don't know about all kids if course. However I will always believe that these kinds of "toy" things are what started my interest in civil war military history.

The museums that I am aware of that have dioramas like that usually have plenty of artifacts too. In my case any way, interest in one lead to later, deeper interest in the other.

John

 

[Cavalier]

I believe that particular museum might be more interested in a diorama featuring the Michigan Cavalry Brigade at Gettysburg for instance, or one featuring the 24th Michigan at some incident they were involved in. I do get the desire for a Michigan connection in their case.

However, you see it pretty frequently lamented here about the waning interest in civil war history among the younger generation. It would be a real shame in my opinion, to remove something so popular with young kids that might have been the birth of a later, more mature interest in the subject we are all so fond of.

John

 

[Story]

BY SHOW OF HANDS
How many of you boys' and girls' imaginations were fired by dioramas and bird's eye panoramic art
while you were still in your single digit years?

and
here
we
are.​

 

[Kurtlg]

BY SHOW OF HANDS
How many of you boys' and girls' imaginations were fired by dioramas and bird's eye panoramic art
while you were still in your single digit years?

and
here
we
are.​

Me for sure.