From Another Time

While walking through museums, visitors see a variety of items and objects behind glass with descriptions of how they were used. In Nealis Hall here in the museum, you can see a basket being created in stages as part of our basket-making display, which is accompanied by a written narrative of how weavers collected fibers to weave and the years of practice it took to make some of the most incredible baskets on display. In larger museums, there may even be videos of how the items were traditionally used. However, nothing beats seeing these items-or modern reproductions of them- being used in real time, in real life. Smelling the obsidian as it is struck to create arrow heads, hearing the clicking of a spinning wheel while wool is being spun, feeling the cold water while using a washboard to wash clothes-all of these experiences stick in people's memory and make history seem just a bit closer than it was before...

That's the idea behind Living History-bringing history to life for people to experience firsthand. Demonstrations of trades and housework have been key to teaching the evolution of everyday life and the progression of history for decades because it is such a powerful tool. However, Living History is a broad method of sharing history with people and provides a multitude of ways to share history with the public.
The Clarke Museum is looking for community members who would like to participate in a Living History Day at the museum. Participation can include demonstrating a historical trade or skill, dressing in costume, or assisting with the operation of the event. This event would be held on a Saturday from 11 am-2 pm at the Clarke Historical Museum. Interested in helping out or want more information? Contact Katie at [email protected]