As a museum professional, my priority is creating an enjoyable and educational experience for visitors of all ages, races, and backgrounds that makes history something to which they can relate. In my experiences educating guests in living history settings and more traditional museum venues, I have found that forming a connection with visitors is invaluable in helping visitors relate to the historical narrative of a given exhibit. It is my personal belief that when people can form a personal connection to a particular artifact or exhibition, they will be more invested in preserving history. While it takes a little extra time to converse with visitors, I think it is these conversations – especially listening to a visitor’s own history – that are particularly rewarding for both museum professionals and visitors. I also believe that making a historical narrative accessible requires careful attention to detail - not only in the information provided, but how the information is conveyed, what artifacts are highlighted, the layout of a space, and the training of museum staff. Just as history requires the study of people, places, events, and artifacts in their greater historical context, I am convinced that a successful museum is one that is conscientious of every facet of the visitor experience.

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          I fell in love with history through my research and experiences as a historical costumer. I love learning about the socioeconomic impacts on fashion silhouettes prior to 1940 and taking an hour to dress in a dozen garments helps me feel closer to history. My experience using my costumes as educational tools led me to choose museum work. Museums have a reputation as respectable institutions of learning and they are, but a fundamental trait of museum staff is knowing how to adapt to the visitors you are educating. Many educators find a rewarding career teaching critical analysis of facts, but I prefer to answer the question “how did they sit in that?” I enjoy when visitors ask questions others may deem silly – this is a sign that people feel comfortable asking questions and the same people who scoffed at the question are equally interested in the answer. Volunteering in museums has reaffirmed my utmost belief that we only grow as individuals by humbling ourselves and learning from those who know more than we do.

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          Throughout my education, there has been an emphasis on recognizing one’s bias and the cultivated effort to avoid bias in the teaching of history. While museums do have to choose what historical narratives to present to their visitors, I believe in portraying information accurately and with a mindfulness of its reception by people of different demographics. History is certainly not always pleasant, and it is essential that sensitive or controversial topics be managed carefully, without compromising the facts. In an era driven by technological advancements and a constant barrage of unreliable sources, museum professionals have an obligation to educate in a way that is accurate and encourages visitors to think critically to make meaningful connections between the past and present.