The Identity of the Greensboro Historical Museum is captured within the vast array of exhibits depicting the rich history of North Carolina, from its inception into the modern era. The “Voices of a City” exhibit is carefully laid out to take you on a journey while evoking passionate emotions as it chronicles ordinary lives from a time long since past.
The exhibit is enhanced by the interactive displays speaking out to you, while it creates the atmosphere of a moment in time. The Entrance to the “Voices of a City” descends through a long dark tunnel depicting a time machine, as it drops you into an open forum filled with faces from the past, and their words written on its walls. The large octagonal room, mimicking the building’s structure, serves as a gathering of thoughts, and a prelude to the exhibit, capturing its very heart. The predominate color of the room is dark gray, an appropriate backdrop for the images and the white text written across its walls. The room transitions easily into the presentation, and then through a gradation of history. The excitement of the exhibit heightens with a full size wagon display. The repetition of other unique displays re-enforces the exhibits message while keeping the interest of the viewer. There is a balance of symmetry between the displays and the descriptive accompaniments in conjunction with the entire sequence of events. The corridors circulates throughout the building with a comfortable flow as the exhibits continues to unfold, passing through arched doorways into nodes, then transitioning into larger open arenas with a full circle of displays. The backdrop is dark, with tracks lighting accentuating the displays and illuminating the path. The exit to the “Voices of the City” leaves you with a parting phase: “Greensboro remains a gateway, a haven, a home. We talk, we debate, we adapt. Keep listening to our voices.” Lasting memories bringing unity to the composition of the exhibit.
Leaving the “Voices of the City” exhibit brings you though the museum’s gift shop. A stark contrast from the dark backdrop relaxing your mind through your previous journey, The gift shop is fully illuminated waking you up with yellow walls cheerfully displaying tempting memorabilia. Stopping for a moment to see the organizational groupings of each exhibits’ corner, the shopper can easily find their wallet, and see the prices of their desired purchase.
The other end of the gift shop brings you into an open area of the “Pottery Display” exhibits. A loop design circulation, the centerpiece contains a showcase with a video feed telling the history of the North Carolina pottery industry. The pottery is displayed attractively in the showcase, as stories are associated within the composition of the display. The bright illuminated showcases surround you as you orient yourself from the center of the exhibit. A back corridor leads you into a secondary pathway of another larger loop system containing the “Period Rooms” exhibit. This second pathway is darker by comparison, and gives you an uncomfortable feeling walking down the corridor. The period pieces are quite lovely but they are not given the proper attention they deserve considering the atmosphere. The mood is stagnant. The exhibits are just there. The circulation is unorganized, not fitting well within a double loop system shared with the pottery exhibit. Passerby’s crisscross in and out from the pottery exhibit, going in opposite directions cause a disturbing flow. The light from the pottery exhibit casts unintended shadows, detracting from the period rooms. Returning back to the “Pottery Display”, I become aware the circulation of the loop system does not work well there either. The centerpiece showcase with the video feed cuts off the circulation, and disturbs the flow of the room. The room can be improved upon with the removal of the centerpiece, opening up the circular flow of traffic for ease of movement in all directions. Leaving the “Pottery Display” exhibit, I exit through its main entrance into a vestibule containing a “Dolly Madison” exhibit as an introduction to the room. The connection of the room doesn’t work well as a whole. There in no continuity with the room between exhibits or an ease into a transition.
I travel to the 3rd floor exhibits where I am greeted with two circular showcases on either side of the landing, each depicting the entranceway to their exhibit. I take the right path, welcoming me to the Gate City; I enter into the exhibit where I am quickly transported back in time to the Clegg Hotel, circa 1890. The Clegg Hotel creates an authentic setting with a life size figure of the proprietor, Mr. Will F. Clegg, standing proudly behind the bar welcoming his patrons to his hotel, as he highlights some of its new features. Looking around the room I spot a comfortable group seating arrangement, where I am invited to relax as I take in the full ambience of the setting. A table next to me has an old phone, with signage where I can listen to the train schedules. I look around the room, viewing the exhibit in its entirety. Above me is a chandelier appropriate for the period adding to the experience, while I investigate further details of the room providing additional layers, while retaining the viewer’s interest. The blending of the furnishing seems appropriate for its time, adding small touches, like doilies on the table, and surveys on the wall showing me the routes of the old southern railway system. Additional displays are presented as documentation of the past, including a letter signed by the proprietor, W. F. Clegg’s requesting permission from the mayor to operate two pool rooms. Upon further investigation I spot as small pathway leading to another experience. An interesting side node containing several old switchboards, with signage inviting me to plug in a few extensions, an amusing distraction as I interact within the display to listen into a few phone conversations. Entering back into the lobby, another pathway exits the hotel leaving me onto a town square with park benches under a shady tree. My interest is heightened as I looked at the intricate details of structure, which created a complete experience adding another layer to the exhibit. Each building on its own adds to the appeal, while it re-enforces the authenticity. Investing the movie theater, the drug store, the schoolhouse, blends together perfect harmony in the composition of the exhibit. Different side path continues to add more layers while the view can move around comfortably with other visitors. The circulation around the town square in a loop system, but with the added space allows the patron to move easily throughout the exhibit. This exhibit captures the very heart of the small town experience of Greensboro just prior to its larger growth. Leaving the exhibit with a clear picture of history and a enjoyable experience throughout.
Continue on across the 3rd floor landing banners are directing my path to enter into the "Down Home" exhibit. The very heart of the exhibit is rich in cultural experience of the jewish immigrant as they joined the community within North Carolina. The story tells a tell of an assimilation from traditional roots combining with a southern culture, while retaining their identity. The exhibit shows many different experiences of tradition as you follow you journey through the exhibit organizing a hierarchy if the elements within the exhibit. Intricate details of furnishings and supported within an overall theme of family taking center stage of a jewish immigrants lifestyle. "We are immigrants, and we are southerns too, is clearly noted within displays. The exhibit is one large room segregated into different settings to complete the story. The circulation of the exhibit has a wide spacious comfort allowing each patron to move freely in all direction without interference with another patron. The displays and angled towards the entrance so the viewer can see the many aspects of the exhibit in its entirety. As the exhibits guides you through the transition of the jewish immigrate life experience, it continues to build on the previous display, taking you toward a modern lifestyle of a second generation decedents. The theme is capture within a familiar family setting of the home kitchen, with the decor symbolizing a 1950's time period. Opening up the refrigerator, and oven gives the viewer an interactive experience of that generations meals which adds the southern culture, borrowing from the past with recipes handing down from grandmother, to mother, then to the current generation. Circling around the room the exhibit ends with a combination of the past jewish culture with the southern lifestyle, leading up the the current time period. The chronological order of the exhibit clears establishes the experience of a jewish immigrant to North Carolina.
Continue on across the 3rd floor landing banners are directing my path to enter into the "Down Home" exhibit. The very heart of the exhibit is rich in cultural experience of the jewish immigrant as they joined the community within North Carolina. The story tells a tell of an assimilation from traditional roots combining with a southern culture, while retaining their identity. The exhibit shows many different experiences of tradition as you follow you journey through the exhibit organizing a hierarchy if the elements within the exhibit. Intricate details of furnishings and supported within an overall theme of family taking center stage of a jewish immigrants lifestyle. "We are immigrants, and we are southerns too, is clearly noted within displays. The exhibit is one large room segregated into different settings to complete the story. The circulation of the exhibit has a wide spacious comfort allowing each patron to move freely in all direction without interference with another patron. The displays and angled towards the entrance so the viewer can see the many aspects of the exhibit in its entirety. As the exhibits guides you through the transition of the jewish immigrate life experience, it continues to build on the previous display, taking you toward a modern lifestyle of a second generation decedents. The theme is capture within a familiar family setting of the home kitchen, with the decor symbolizing a 1950's time period. Opening up the refrigerator, and oven gives the viewer an interactive experience of that generations meals which adds the southern culture, borrowing from the past with recipes handing down from grandmother, to mother, then to the current generation. Circling around the room the exhibit ends with a combination of the past jewish culture with the southern lifestyle, leading up the the current time period. The chronological order of the exhibit clears establishes the experience of a jewish immigrant to North Carolina.
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