It's most unfortunate, however...

by pokynojoe, Sunday, November 23, 2014, 10:25 (3658 days ago) @ Charles

My wife and I have been involved off and on in the field of Museology for over 30 years. The digital age, as you define it, has not only enhanced the field of historic preservation, but has spurned renewed interest.

Just in our little state alone, two universities within the last five years have added historic preservation, and museum curation as degree programs, and enrollments stayed filled up. One has added a graduate program.

Over the years, my wife has been commissioned to paint murals used to enhance exhibits in museums, large and small, private and public, that commemorate both prehistoric and historic Indians, Civil War battlefields, and portraits of historic figures. One of her proudest moments was receiving a commission from the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation to paint a portrait of Sequoya h. At the unveiling, the Chief of the Eastern Band at that time, Chief Blankenship, told her it was the most spiritually correct image of Sequoya h that anyone had ever done.

Just last week she was offered a commission to paint a rather large mural that is going to be use to enhance an exhibit of a prehistoric Mississippian Indian mound complex discovered in Nashville at the site of the new baseball park being built at historic Sulpher Dell. This site also has great meaning to many who played in the old Negro leagues. Many of the greats played there, and it is well known among students of the game.

In short, I say these things not to be disagreeable, indeed, it's sad that such a lovely diorama is being closed. However, it's not because of the "digital age." There is more money, both in the public sector, and through private endowments, for historic preservation, then there's been for quite some time.

I hope this might allay some of your fears that the past is being forgotten.

Regards
Joe