Society for the History of Technology

2001 Annual Meeting

Call for Papers, Special Session

"The Role of Museums and Other Public History Sites in Historical Scholarship"

Sponsored by the

Technology Museum's Special Interest Group (TEMSIG)

This Call for Papers is for a panel at the next annual meeting of the Society for the History of Technology (SHOT), which will take place in San Jose, CA, 4-7 October 2001. The panel will focus on the role of museums and other public history sites in historical scholarship. Curators bridge the gap between the scholarly community and the general public, using material culture to act as translators of historical knowledge. When developing new exhibits and public programs, curators must be aware of the knowledge and interests that visitors bring with them to museums. How does their interaction with the public influence how curators do history and how they make use of their collections? How do the concerns, interests, and knowledge of the museum audience filter up and influence scholarly debate? This session, sponsored by the Technology Museums Special Interest Group (TEMSIG), will address recent discussions within SHOT about how historians of technology can reach larger audiences. Drawing on their own exhibit experiences, participants in this session will consider what historians can learn from museum visitors. The deadline for submitting proposals is March 23, 2001. Suggestions for participants and abstract proposals for this session can be sent to:

Maggie Dennis
TEMSIG chair
Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
National Museum of American History,
Rm. 1016
Washington, DC 20560-0604
tel: 202-357-2096
fax: 202-357-4517

dennism@nmah.si.edu