History Commons^™

Engaging Visitors With Conservation: The Key To Museum Sustainability, Megan Crutcher

Graduate Student Research Symposium

What is museum conservation and why does it matter? Increasingly, museum professionals are having to answer this question not only for themselves, but for the public as well. I argue that conservation’s definition is twofold, encompassing the actual work, as well as public engagement and presentation. First, conservation is the act of preserving and protecting cultural heritage to improve its structural integrity and historical significance. Second, conservation’s ultimate effectiveness lies in its ability to leave the public informed and passionate. Two of the best examples of these programs are the conservation of the Star Spangled Banner at the Smithsonian in …

Decolonizing National Parks: A Conversation About Repatriation And Shared Authority, Stephanie Walrath

Graduate Student Research Symposium

This project explores how shared authority in national parks can be reassessed through the lens of administrative repatriation. The majority of NPS interpretations focus on conservation and naturalist education, perpetuate a mythology of “gifted land,” and have neglected cultural imprints as an integral element of the land’s history. The rich histories of the peoples that have occupied these lands over time provide an opportunity for the NPS that few museums possess: to present an American history that is deeply interwoven with the natural landscape and recall events back farther than any constructed museums can possibly venture. National parks have an …

Are We Diluting History?, Nicole Slaven

Graduate Student Research Symposium

Historical markers are everywhere and therefore have the potential to transmit history to a wide range of audiences. But is the history they are promoting always “valid” history? Through this research project, I hope to show trends in the validity of historical markers, how time has had an effect on the historical significance of markers, and how they correlate to the median income of the areas where they are erected.

This research project will use the Ohio Historical Marker program for its case study. I will use a random sampling of 20-25% of the markers (approximately 300) and test them …