| INVESTIGATING
AN INSTITUTION
You are probably familiar with many local cultural institutions such
as museums, zoos, and botanical gardens. Barnum's American Museum was such an institution -- except that
the original American Museum existed in the 19th century and the Web site museum is a virtual re-creation. The producers have
digitally rebuilt the Museum three-dimensionally so that you and other users can
investigate the history of the era to learn how the museum influenced American life then and now.
Your task:
As you explore the site think about what the 19th century visitor's experience was like and compare it to today's
experience in a museum. Write about the differences, remembering that in the mid-19th century New York had no other
major museums, no parks and no zoo.
Some ideas for comparison:
Ownership/Management
Displays
Goals
Lecture Room presentations
Museum's relationship to the public/community
Also, please look at the wood engraving of the museum in the Museum Archive. It was the main source for our
re-creation. How is the engraving different from the virtual room? How is it similar? Why do you think we
made changes? What would you have pictured differently? Do you have any suggestions as we continue to develop
additional rooms in the museum?
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