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Mods, I beg your indulgence...
All,
A few days ago after reading the comments of Katie Lawhon in a College website I posted comments to the effect that I was gravely disapointed in both the new direction of the Visitor Center and the sorts of artifacts that were, and were not going to be given display space in the new VC.
I also posted my comments over on the N-SSA BB, as I am a member there as well.
Katie Lawhon has generously taken the time to respond to my "rant" on that space, so I thought in the interest of fairness I should re-open this thread to post her comments.
"This is in response to the original post, called "Rant."
The quotes are from a college student who interviewed me and then posted the paper online. They are not accurate. I never would have said guns and artifacts are “not very appealing” and the comments about a diorama make no sense either.
The new Gettysburg National Military Park (NMP) museum and visitor center is solving serious long-term problems associated with (1) preservation of the park's museum collections, (2) preservation and display of the Cyclorama painting, (3) provision of a museum complex to provide visitors with an understanding of the significance of the Battle of Gettysburg within the context of the causes and consequences of the American Civil War, and (4) removal of two outdated visitor facilities and rehabilitation of the historic battle landscapes upon which the buildings currently reside.
The new Gettysburg museum will follow a storyline in which artifacts are used to illustrate the storyline in a compelling way for visitors, creating a much more meaningful connection between the objects and the place. While there will be fewer objects on display in the new museum, they will be presented in a way that draws the public’s attention to the artifacts more so than ever before at Gettysburg, bringing a greater emphasis to the artifacts.
Gettysburg NMP has one million items in its museum collection. Of these 102,947 objects make up the history collection; 116,483 objects make up the archeological collection, and 780,570 items make up the archival collection. Preservation of the entire collection will be enhanced, research access will be improved, and we will have a greater ability to rotate objects into the display cases. Over the long term, we will be able to display a greater variety of artifacts.
The new museum will display objects from the Gettysburg collection throughout 24,000 square feet of exhibit space in twelve galleries. In addition, four large display cases in the lobby outside the theaters and the museum gallery entrance, will “open storage” of long arms, pistols, guns of Gettysburg, artillery projectiles, and buckles, buttons, and insignia. Ten cannon tubes will also be displayed in this lobby.
The old museum had 6,633 objects on exhibit. The new museum will have 1,338 objects on display. In addition, large cases in the new museum will also include “battle debris” from the Rosensteel Collection, increasing the total number of objects on display.
Information about the new Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center:
Of the twelve galleries in the new Gettysburg Museum of the American Civil War, eleven will be based on phrases from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and organized to help visitors understand and appreciate the museum’s major themes, including the Gettysburg Campaign, the Civil War, and its causes and consequences.
Gettysburg National Military Park is one of the most extensive in the world. Among the collection are:
Portable Wooden Desk – one of the field desks used by Confederate General Robert E. Lee.
Sapling Crutch – George Kistler of the 140th Pennsylvania Infantry pulled a sapling branch from the ground of the Peach Orchard to serve as a crutch after he was wounded during the second day of battle.
Hand-Made Patriotic Apron – made by Mary Himes Fox, this apron was designed after the American flag and worn by Mary as she sent her husband off to serve in the Civil War
Physician’s Journal – Adam’s County physician Dr. J. W. C. O’Neal used the journal to list and identify the location of several thousand Confederate dead. O’Neal used it following the war to help families from the South locate their loved ones’ bodies and return them home.
Interactive stations and hands-on experiences will be located throughout the museum. Five of the galleries will include short video presentations on the causes of the war, the three days of Battle at Gettysburg, and the results of the war. The two Voices theaters will feature readings from battle participants.
The twelfth gallery, a Special Exhibits Gallery will use temporary and traveling exhibits to broaden the number of topics covered in the museum and will display items on loan from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History’s extensive collection.
A new 22-minute feature film, “A New Birth of Freedom,” will immerse visitors in the sights, sounds and emotions of the battle and its aftermath.
The new Cyclorama Gallery will display the newly conserved Cyclorama painting entitled “The Battle of Gettysburg,” including the recreated skyline, canopy and three-dimensional diorama that have been missing for more than 40 years. Exhibits on the mezzanine level will describe the painting, its conservation and the history of the 1962 Gettysburg Cyclorama building.
A computer resource room will give visitors access to information about the people, the battle, the collection, and the monuments – all of which make Gettysburg an excellent educational experience.
The Ford Motor Company Fund Education Center — multi-purpose educational facilities — will provide dedicated space for teacher workshops, classroom use and distance learning programs.
The Refreshment Saloon food service area and outdoor dining terrace will offer visitors the opportunity to experience Civil War-era foods and recipes, and learn about the vital role played by the volunteers who supplemented government-issue rations.
A Museum Bookstore will include an extensive selection of Gettysburg, Civil War, and Lincoln-related titles for all ages, as well as a variety of Gettysburg-related gifts and memorabilia.
The new Museum and Visitor Center at Gettysburg National Military Park has been designed to meet LEED performance certification at the silver level, in support of Foundation and National Park Service environmental and sustainability goals. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification is determined by the U.S. Green Building Council, which sets voluntary standards for high performance, sustainable buildings.
It’s an exciting project. I hope you’ll come see it for yourself once we open the doors on April 14. In the meantime if you have any questions, feel free to let me know.
Sincerely,
Katie Lawhon
Public Affairs Specialist
Gettysburg National Military Park"
Needless to say that I am disapointed again that the number of artifacts displayed are going from 6,633 Down to 1,338.
All,
A few days ago after reading the comments of Katie Lawhon in a College website I posted comments to the effect that I was gravely disapointed in both the new direction of the Visitor Center and the sorts of artifacts that were, and were not going to be given display space in the new VC.
I also posted my comments over on the N-SSA BB, as I am a member there as well.
Katie Lawhon has generously taken the time to respond to my "rant" on that space, so I thought in the interest of fairness I should re-open this thread to post her comments.
"This is in response to the original post, called "Rant."
The quotes are from a college student who interviewed me and then posted the paper online. They are not accurate. I never would have said guns and artifacts are “not very appealing” and the comments about a diorama make no sense either.
The new Gettysburg National Military Park (NMP) museum and visitor center is solving serious long-term problems associated with (1) preservation of the park's museum collections, (2) preservation and display of the Cyclorama painting, (3) provision of a museum complex to provide visitors with an understanding of the significance of the Battle of Gettysburg within the context of the causes and consequences of the American Civil War, and (4) removal of two outdated visitor facilities and rehabilitation of the historic battle landscapes upon which the buildings currently reside.
The new Gettysburg museum will follow a storyline in which artifacts are used to illustrate the storyline in a compelling way for visitors, creating a much more meaningful connection between the objects and the place. While there will be fewer objects on display in the new museum, they will be presented in a way that draws the public’s attention to the artifacts more so than ever before at Gettysburg, bringing a greater emphasis to the artifacts.
Gettysburg NMP has one million items in its museum collection. Of these 102,947 objects make up the history collection; 116,483 objects make up the archeological collection, and 780,570 items make up the archival collection. Preservation of the entire collection will be enhanced, research access will be improved, and we will have a greater ability to rotate objects into the display cases. Over the long term, we will be able to display a greater variety of artifacts.
The new museum will display objects from the Gettysburg collection throughout 24,000 square feet of exhibit space in twelve galleries. In addition, four large display cases in the lobby outside the theaters and the museum gallery entrance, will “open storage” of long arms, pistols, guns of Gettysburg, artillery projectiles, and buckles, buttons, and insignia. Ten cannon tubes will also be displayed in this lobby.
The old museum had 6,633 objects on exhibit. The new museum will have 1,338 objects on display. In addition, large cases in the new museum will also include “battle debris” from the Rosensteel Collection, increasing the total number of objects on display.
Information about the new Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center:
Of the twelve galleries in the new Gettysburg Museum of the American Civil War, eleven will be based on phrases from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and organized to help visitors understand and appreciate the museum’s major themes, including the Gettysburg Campaign, the Civil War, and its causes and consequences.
Gettysburg National Military Park is one of the most extensive in the world. Among the collection are:
Portable Wooden Desk – one of the field desks used by Confederate General Robert E. Lee.
Sapling Crutch – George Kistler of the 140th Pennsylvania Infantry pulled a sapling branch from the ground of the Peach Orchard to serve as a crutch after he was wounded during the second day of battle.
Hand-Made Patriotic Apron – made by Mary Himes Fox, this apron was designed after the American flag and worn by Mary as she sent her husband off to serve in the Civil War
Physician’s Journal – Adam’s County physician Dr. J. W. C. O’Neal used the journal to list and identify the location of several thousand Confederate dead. O’Neal used it following the war to help families from the South locate their loved ones’ bodies and return them home.
Interactive stations and hands-on experiences will be located throughout the museum. Five of the galleries will include short video presentations on the causes of the war, the three days of Battle at Gettysburg, and the results of the war. The two Voices theaters will feature readings from battle participants.
The twelfth gallery, a Special Exhibits Gallery will use temporary and traveling exhibits to broaden the number of topics covered in the museum and will display items on loan from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History’s extensive collection.
A new 22-minute feature film, “A New Birth of Freedom,” will immerse visitors in the sights, sounds and emotions of the battle and its aftermath.
The new Cyclorama Gallery will display the newly conserved Cyclorama painting entitled “The Battle of Gettysburg,” including the recreated skyline, canopy and three-dimensional diorama that have been missing for more than 40 years. Exhibits on the mezzanine level will describe the painting, its conservation and the history of the 1962 Gettysburg Cyclorama building.
A computer resource room will give visitors access to information about the people, the battle, the collection, and the monuments – all of which make Gettysburg an excellent educational experience.
The Ford Motor Company Fund Education Center — multi-purpose educational facilities — will provide dedicated space for teacher workshops, classroom use and distance learning programs.
The Refreshment Saloon food service area and outdoor dining terrace will offer visitors the opportunity to experience Civil War-era foods and recipes, and learn about the vital role played by the volunteers who supplemented government-issue rations.
A Museum Bookstore will include an extensive selection of Gettysburg, Civil War, and Lincoln-related titles for all ages, as well as a variety of Gettysburg-related gifts and memorabilia.
The new Museum and Visitor Center at Gettysburg National Military Park has been designed to meet LEED performance certification at the silver level, in support of Foundation and National Park Service environmental and sustainability goals. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification is determined by the U.S. Green Building Council, which sets voluntary standards for high performance, sustainable buildings.
It’s an exciting project. I hope you’ll come see it for yourself once we open the doors on April 14. In the meantime if you have any questions, feel free to let me know.
Sincerely,
Katie Lawhon
Public Affairs Specialist
Gettysburg National Military Park"
Needless to say that I am disapointed again that the number of artifacts displayed are going from 6,633 Down to 1,338.