The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology has recently decided to re-curate their Africa exhibit. They are doing it in a completely original way, by asking their visitors and the Philadelphia community what they want to learn about in an exhibit about Africa. “Imagine Africa” is the interactive exhibit paired with the current Africa collection on display, as an open forum of discussion about content for the revitalized exhibit.
Imagine Africa is divided into eight themes based on African culture. Strength, changing, the divine, creating, healing power, beauty and fashion are each their own sections with objects, open-ended questions and white boards to write on with thoughts and comments. Each theme corresponds with a traditional symbol and they segment the walls of the gallery. The interactives throughout the exhibit give visitors the opportunity to be a part of the development, and part of the museum. One interactive in particular is designed for children but is also engaging for an adult audience. It is a system of Adinkra stamps using ink, which makes an impression of each theme’s traditional symbol onto a piece of paper. The accompanying text asks participating visitors to use the themes and symbols to describe yourself or a loved one through images.
Interactives such as these are important because they give visitors of all ages the opportunity to engage with the themes of Imagine Africa. Even if visitors initially do not understand the meanings or context of why this exhibit exists, this interactive gets visitors considering people in their own lives and how African symbols, themes, and imagery is applicable even though the concepts are foreign.
This activity is different from other interactive options in the exhibit because of its three dimensional tactile nature. It t is far enough away from the wall that it asserts its presence into the pathway of visitors and its unique composition draws in attention. Sheets of paper are provided with a short description of the symbols and directions of how and why one should use the stamps. This provides visitors with a take-away object that they can use to reminisce on their experience, free of charge.
Interactives of this type appeal to me and I hope other visitors who enjoy traditional exhibition styles including informative panels, interesting labels, and tactile experiences. Its simplicity engaged me more than touch screens, audio or computerized visuals. Things I can touch, read and interact with allow me to absorb and analyze information on a different level. This kind of engagement would appeal to many people of all backgrounds and ages. People who balk away from traditional museum experiences would find other aspects of Imagine Africa more engaging. Music, visuals and touch screens are more familiar to everyday experiences in front of the computer or television, making the transition to a museum environment smoother.
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