Hello again!
As I
hope you have all heard, the Marin History Museum is currently hosting a new
exhibit entitled “Justice and Judgment” which premiered on October 29 and will
remain open to the public until the spring of 2013. The exhibit works to uncover
the story of Marin’s law enforcement and emergency services and sheds light on
the history of the court of law in the county. Within this narrative, there are
three interrelated yet unique subjects of historical study. In “The ‘Q:’ San
Quentin State Prison,” the fascinating, if not grisly, history of the county’s
landmark prison is divulged in a celebration of the institution’s 160th
anniversary. On hand are a variety of artifacts from the San Quentin Prison
Museum in honor of the occasion. “Behind the Badge: Marin’s First Responders”
focuses on the development and role of Marin’s agencies of law enforcement and emergency
services in the county’s rich history. To finish off the exhibit, “Marin County
Courthouses: Laying Down the Law!!!” highlights the history of the court of law
in Marin.
As a
member of the Marin History Museum community that was intimately involved in
the creation of the novel “Justice and Judgment” exhibit, I would like to speak
to my own experiences within the creation process. This past summer, I served
as an intern in the curating department under curator Holly Gallagher. As a
history major who is interested in pursuing a graduate degree in public history
to prepare for a career in curating, my work with the Marin History Museum
provided me with critical opportunities to engage in the curatorial process. My
work focused on the “Behind the Badge: Marin’s First Responders” section of the
exhibit. I helped Holly out with any and
all research necessary to uncover the history of the diverse law enforcement
and emergency service agencies in Marin County, participated both alongside Holly
and on my own in meetings with many of these agencies to gather information and
artifacts, and kept track of the information and artifacts gathered throughout the
summer. At the end of the summer, it was my job to type up all of the
information that I had gathered throughout the summer in an organized and
coherent manner. My work with MHM was very much a learning experience for me in
the best way possible. Not only did I genuinely enjoy my work and all of the
members of the Marin History Museum community that I met, but I was given the
opportunity to apply my research and writing skills that I had learned in the
classroom to a practical worldly situation. I learned how to navigate the
stacks of boxes full of artifacts in the museum’s collection and how to
properly handle certain types of historical artifacts, such as old hats, in addition
to honing my research skills. At times, my work brought me into contact with
other parts of the exhibit, such as when I accompanied Holly and some MHM
volunteers to the San Quentin Prison Museum (located on the grounds of San
Quentin itself) to inspect and transport artifacts for “The ‘Q:’ San Quentin
State Prison” exhibition. Every step of the way, I gained a new appreciation
for all of the behind-the-scenes work of putting an exhibit together, from the
birth of an idea for a fascinating historical study to its fruition in the form
of a finished exhibition. My work with
MHM provided me with a critical foothold into the world of public history and
museum studies outside of the classroom, and for that I am truly grateful.
That
being said, all I can hope for is that you enjoy the MHM exhibition “Justice
and Judgment.” So come on out to the Boyd Gatehouse and take a look for
yourself. Enjoy!
This post is created by Marissa, intern at MHM.
