Interpreting American Military History at Museums and Historic Sites (Volume 8) (Interpreting History, 8)

Across the country, museums and historic sites welcome visitors into a world long gone but fundamental to America today. Military history in particular is etched into our country’s culture and the public’s imagination. The trouble, though, for museums and historical sites lies in continuing to make it both accessible and relevant to today’s audiences. Through Interpreting American Military History at Museums and Historic Sites, Marc K. Blackburn tackles the difficult task of helping those institutions charged with the care of sites, collections and stories that relate to our past relatable while still maintaining the dignity and reverence of their rich history. Looking at the various components of American military history such as battles and famous figures, Blackburn provides alternatives to the traditional museum experience. The 21st century is a culmination of the past and it is more important than ever to remember and learn from the triumphs and failures, and this guide provides and explains those strategies for making our stories and collections relevant to modern audiences. This books acts as a primer for those unfamiliar with academic trends of the last forty years. Historiography of American military history, like that of other sub-fields, shifts as new information surfaces or as perspectives change. Blackburn modernizes this area through new interpretative methods, as well as through case studies of museums and historic sites that have created programs, interpretive media, outreach strategies, and mission goals updated to meet the needs of today’s patrons. Armed with these strategies, historic institutions will have the foundation to provide compelling, relevant, and engaging experiences for the 21st century audience. Across the country, museums and historic sites welcome visitors into a world long gone but fundamental to America today. Military history in particular is etched into our countrys culture and the publics imagination. The trouble, though, for museums and historical sites lies in continuing to make it both accessible and relevant to todays audiences. Through Interpreting American Military History at Museums and Historic Sites, Marc K. Blackburn tackles the difficult task of helping those institutions charged with the care of sites, collections and stories that relate to our past relatable while still maintaining the dignity and reverence of their rich history. Looking at the various components of American military history such as battles and famous figures, Blackburn provides alternatives to the traditional museum experience. The 21 st century is a culmination of the past and it is more important than ever to remember and learn from the triumphs and failures, and this guide provides and explains those strategies for making our stories and collections relevant to modern audiences. This books acts as a primer for those unfamiliar with academic trends of the last forty years. Historiography of American military history, like that of other sub-fields, shifts as new information surfaces or as perspectives change. Blackburn modernizes this area through new interpretative methods, as well as through case studies of museums and historic sites that have created programs, interpretive media, outreach strategies, and mission goals updated to meet the needs of todays patrons. Armed with these strategies, historic institutions will have the foundation to provide compelling, relevant, and engaging experiences for the 21 st century audience. "Through Interpreting American Military History at Museums and Historic Sites, Marc K. Blackburn tackles the difficult task of helping those institutions charged with the care of sites, collections, and stories be relatable while still maintaining the dignity and reverence of their rich history. Looking at the various components of American military history such as battles and famous figures, Blackburn provides alternatives to the traditional museum experience. The twenty-first century is a culmination of the past and it is more important than ever to remember and learn from those triumphs and failures, and this guide provides and explains strategies for making our stories and collections relevant to modern audiences. This book acts as a primer for those unfamiliar with academic trends of the past forty years. Historiography of American military history, like that of other subfields, shifts as new information surfaces or as perspective change."-- Back cover While the lessons of the past are equally important today as when they first occurred, the trouble lies in making them accessible to modern-audiences. Interpreting American Military History at Museums and Historic Sites provides a guide to turning those important American military moments into relevant and captivating experiences. The book acts as a primer for those unfamiliar with academic trends of the last forty years. Through vis-à-vis current interpretive methods and case studies, readers will gain an understanding of how to take this information and create programs, interpretive media, o