Expanding Shoreline Historical Museum, the Archives Project

Authors:

• Jasmine James, Museology Graduate Program
• Chair: Jessica Luke
• Kenneth Doutt
• Sarah Samson

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Abstract:

My project, “Expanding Shoreline Historical Museum, the Archives Project” examines one-way museums can become relatable and more accessible with their local communities. Additionally, the museum archives are undergoing development so this archival project can foster new trysts of accession programs for the museum to encourage while up lifting the project creators. For the duration of this project I worked alongside Shoreline Historical Museum, a history museum based in Shoreline WA, to create a public program in collaboration with a local community group sourced from the general area of Shoreline. The target audience who we worked with resulted were teenagers, a commonly underrepresented group not seen within museum programs. Teenagers were the chosen target audience to work with as an inclusive way to portray how Shoreline intends to expand their social outreach methods using models that address the public in a far more relatable and expressive manner. Over a period of two months this project was weekly facilitated by said students, their facilitator from Shorewood High School, and the director of Shoreline Museum. As a BIPOC facilitator myself, the work and effort placed in the wellbeing of these students allowed this project to become a public programming which uplifts and encourages its participants rather than restraining their creativity for stricter guidelines and practices. Additionally, the project went on to demonstrate how crucial the need is for museums to invest in their communities beyond their familiarity to earn authentic partnerships kindred with unrepresented and BIPOC communities who deserve more recognition within museums.

Poster:

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Project Deliverable:

Expanding Shoreline Historical Museum, the Archives Project

Video Presentation