Once Upon a Time in the West
Curatorial Research, Exhibit Development, Preventative Conservation, Panel Design, Illustration, CAD Modeling, Education and Programming
As museum professionals, we are often called on to interpret painful parts of our past. These conversations are necessary but can be challenging. I took on this challenge through the interpretation of my beloved childhood ‘Wild West’ DUPLO© playset. Through curatorial research, I investigated the material and immaterial history of this playset and the wider phenomenon of ‘Cowboy and Indian’ visual and material culture. I interpreted my findings by developing a ‘mini-exhibit’ and accompanying interpretive activity.
My ‘mini-exhibit’ Once Upon a Time in the West, set out to introduce children and their families to the difficult conversation of North America’s colonial past and present. Through engaging with the exhibit, audiences would gain an understanding that toys and children’s media can often represent dishonest and harmful narratives. Instead, we should instead engage in honest dialogue, even if it is difficult.
This cross-curriculum project allowed me to apply curational research methods, methods of preventative conservation, exhibition and mount design, CAD modelling and education interpretation methods. Here are some examples of the work I completed.
Exhibit Objective, Text, Images and Interactive Activity Proposal
Artifact Condition Report and Suggested Conservation Treatments