Week 1

                                               Entryway to Journey Stories exhibit

 
For my first week at the KRC (http://www.usm.edu/katrina/), I helped prepare for the Smithsonian's Journey Stories exhibit (http://www.museumonmainstreet.org/journeystories/index.htm)
to be held at the center.

Sign in desk at entry to Journey Stories Exhibit.

                       Counter holding postcards, pamphlets, and the television with video playing


                        

First display unit of the Smithsonian's Journey Stories Exhibit (SJSE).

One of the units of the SJSE.

Exhibit unit called "Across the 'Great Desert' to the West!, part of the SJSE.

Back side of "Across the 'Great Desert' to the West!" unit.

Exhibit unit of the SJSE.

Exhibit unit of the SJSE.

Last unit of the SJSE.

The Seafood Exhibit

For the section of the exhibit done by the KRC, as part of the Journey Stories exhibit, I assisted with the exhibit of the history of the Seafood industry on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The exhibit included photos, rubber fishing boots, and memoribilia donated by Gollott's Seafood Co.

Front entrance of the Seafood exhibit.

Fishing basket and rubber boots, just outside the left side of entrance.

Inside left wall of Seafood exhibit.

Center table display, Seafood exhibit.

Pamplets from Gollott's Seafood Co.

Seafood industry newspaper articles.

Glass display case featuring Gollott's Seafood Co.

I started out by working with photos to be displayed in the exhibit. I edited, printed, trimmed, and mounted the 8 X 10 prints for the Seafood Industry display on black foamcore.

I also ordered cookies and cheese trays from a local store for a  function being given by the KRC.


I met Dr. Nuwer on my second day, and she showed me how the mounted photos would be displayed, and described how the rest of the upcoming exhibit would be assembled in the exhibit spaces. She also showed me a collection of t-shirts that were left by workers after Katrina that had each been decorated, and demonstrated how selected shirts would be chosen and displayed for a Katrina t-shirt exhibit.

Hurrican Katrina T-shirt exhibit

Hurricane Katrina T-shirts.

More Katrina T-shirts.

Small boat, displayed to the left of the Seafood exhibit, mid-floor.

 

I also took a few minutes to look at the items on display around the Center, including a large collection of plates that were painted by children from local schools after Katrina. The images and words they held were both inspiring and heartbreaking. Dr. Nuwer explained that the plates had been salvaged from the dining hall at the Gulf Coast branch after Katrina struck.

The exhibits will be in place by the time I return next week, and I am excited to see how they look and interact with people as they observe them.