iPhones, Museums, and You

I remember a gr. 6 field trip to visit Casa Loma in Toronto. As part of the tour we were given listening devices that resembled a Walkman (or a portable audio cassette player) that guided us through the rooms, noting neat facts and pointing out special objects. I can't quite remember, but I strongly suspect it was not an overly enthusiastic commentary and probably wasn't made for the attention span of your average pre-teen. I quickly abandoned the audio guide and made my own way through the rooms, awed at their grandeur but ignorant of their importance.

I recently read an article that declared iPhones and "apps" the technology of choice for museums, like the Victoria and Albert Museum and art galleries, that are attempting to enhance the exhibit-viewing experience. Visitors can download apps that give tours, provide additional information and interactive 3-D images of various artifacts.

Besides being only available to iPhone owners and having to pay for the application, I think this is a fantastic idea. It allows people to interact with exhibits without having to physically touch the the artifact. An interactive map could ensure that you don't miss any aspects of the museum or gallery. It also cuts back on the use of paper, since many museums still give out maps, which at the end of the day can be found littered all over the museum.

It would be great if this app could help advertise related or upcoming exhibits. For example: if you indicated that you liked one particular artist or themed exhibit, the app could suggest other areas of the museum or institutions that relate to this interest.

People love technology and showing off their latest gadget. Bringing iPhones into museums gives people an excuse to show off their fancy phones, but most importantly, brings audio tours into the 21st century with cool graphics, hopefully capturing the attention and imagination of adults and 6th graders alike.

Being an avid reader, movie/TV watcher, and school-goer, I have learned about cool places and things found all over the world that one day I would like to see in person.

Up first is L'Anse aux Meadow in Newfoundland, Canada. I cannot exactly remember when my obsession with Vikings began, but after writing several essays for various archaeology and history classes, I began to appreciate these Norsemen for who they were- talented explorers, shipbuilders, and farmers [although I have to admit, they did pilage and were fairly ruthless when dealing with monks]. It would be an amazing opportunity to visit the earliest known European settlement site in North America, and to actually see the structures and artifacts I have written so much about.

In 2008 I went on a short trip to St. John's with my sister and father, but was disappointed to learn that this UNESCO World Heritage Site was at least 8 hours away by car. But I still intend to make it out there one day.

Next up, I really want to see Stonehenge. I know it's a very cliche and "touristy" thing to do, but, again, after learning about in British history and watching a fasinating documentary about the site, I still want to see this stone monstrosity.

Who doesn't want to see the The Great Pyramids of Giza? Or any pyramids for that matter. The last time I studied Ancient Egypt I think was in elementary school, but the images have stuck with me. I also have to admit, that my interest in Egyptian archaeology was renewed when I started reading Elizabeth Peter's books about Amelia Peabody, a British archaeologist who always manages to stumbled upon a mystery while digging in Egypt with her family.

But lucky for me, I just have to hop a train to Toronto to get a glimpse of Egypt. I can't wait to check out the King Tut exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

I have always wanted to see the Terracotta army in China since first year archaeology. I just cannot fathom how overwhelming this sight must be, with over 8,000 soldiers and not two of them looking the same. But lucky for me, since I cannot afford to travel to China, in 2011 The Musee des Beaux-Arts de Montreal will be featuring 14 soldiers from this amazing archaeological find.

Next my travels will take me to South America where I will visit Machu Picchu. I have always been interested in Inca architecture and I bet the view would be amazing.

Last, but certainly not least, I have always wanted to go to Easter Island to see the giant stone heads. I know close to nothing about them but have always thought they looked cool and it would be incredible to see so many in one place. And I admire their acting.

Historically fashionable

Through my job at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival Archives, I recently had the amazing opportunity to venture to Toronto and attend the opening show for LG Fashion Week, Beauty by L'Oreal. The first runway show of the evening celebrated L'Oreal's 100th anniversary and featured designs inspired by the style of each decade the beauty empire has been in business, beginning with 1910.

On the large screens at the top of the runway, a pictorial history of L'Oreal was shown by utilizing archival pictures and advertisements. It was interesting to see in quick succession, [and I mean quick! Those models can move!] a history of 20th century Western fashion. In my opinion as a historian who knows nothing about the history of fashion, it seems like the 20th century saw the greatest change in regards to what people, espcially women, wore. As women began to enter the work force, especially after WWII, they had less time to make clothes, but had the finances to purchase them from department stores and catalogues that springing up all over the country.

What I do know about the history of fashion is that it's cyclical. I learned in my grade 11 Fashion Class that evidence of this cycle can been seen by looking at silhouettes of women's skirts. They start with large, puffy skirts, then it turns into a bell shape, eventually slims down, and slowly, through the decades, volume increases again. A perfect example of this, as was illustrated in the fashion show, was going from the slim "flapper" look of the 1920's, to Dior's New Look, which brought back the fuller skirt in the 1950's.This principle can sometimes be useful in my current job when I'm trying to identify which time period a certain play takes place.

I am still, however, trying to find a historical precendent for the 1980's.

My favourite look of the evening was the one inspired by the 1940's. It was an A-line skirt, premeditating Dior's New Look, with a fitted blazer, perhaps a salut to the female military contribution in World War II.

I'm back...

After taking a brief break from blogging, I am going to attempt to post more regularly about what's happening in the world of history and perhaps delve into the wonderful world of archaeology.


Movies, television shows, and miniseries set in the past are very popular [nostalgia for better days I suppose, when people made their own butter]. Many strive for historical accuracy, although a lack of finances and sometimes just plain ignorance hinder these attempts. I distinctly remember watching an episode of That 70's Show when the gang went to Canada and Fez was stopped by the Mounties. A map of Canada was prominently displayed in Mountie Headquarters. However, someone in charge of props or sets was unfamiliar with 1970's Canadian geography and the map contained Nunavut, which was recognized as a territory in 1999.

Fans of the hit television show Mad Men will be familiar with creator Matthew Weiner's dedication and passion for getting the historical details regarding the 1960s sets, costumes, and events correct. And he'd better be accurate, considering people with really big televisions and a lot of time on their hands are carefully analyzing every detail presented on the screen. A recent article from The New York Times explores the research that goes into creating Mad Men, which includes collaboration with the local historical society.

However, as mentioned above, the show is not always perfect and unfortunately, since it is show biz, sometimes appearance wins out over historical accuracy.

*picture from amctv.com

In Winnipeg with nothing to do?

Plan a visit The Winnipeg Art Gallery which is hosting the traveling exhibit, Marilyn Monroe: Life as a Legend. See for yourself the paintings and pictures which have inspired numerous t-shirts, posters, plates, and coffee mugs. CBC

Hilarious History

Spending sleepness nights wondering what you're going to do with all your random historical knowledge? Or are you frustrated that Canadian history has a reputation as being dull and boring and want to prove to your friends that history can be cool? Enter Kate Beaton.

My older brother introduced me to Kate Beaton's comics, which offer a hilarious interpretation of world and Canadian history. The great thing about Kate's comics is the diversity in subject manner. It is strong in Canadian content (she does a great Diefenbaker), but it is mixed in with random drawings of dandy's, former English monarchs, and the odd celebrity. The site really offers something for everyone. A new site was recently launched and includes a convenient archive.

For more about Kate Beaton check out here and here.




Bonus:
In keeping with the theme of hilarious history here is a look at what kind of Twitters God, Newton, and Darwin would post: CBC

Paved paradise and put up a fake fishing village...

I never gave much thought to public history's relationship with the environment. However, after reading a few articles regarding the interaction between these two fields, I realized just how much of an impact public historians can have on landscapes.

It is virtually impossible to find a track of land in Canada that has not been touched by humans. The landscape has been altered by the cutting down of trees, building of houses, construction of fences, and even the planting of foreign plant species. Major historical events, like battles, take place on land, altering it as well. While both public historians and environmentalists want to preserve and restore the land and the objects on it, they sometimes have difference priorities as to what exactly should be preserved and how.

Environmentalists are concerned with preserving the landscape and wildlife that might surround places of historical significance, while public historians seem more involved with physical objects and structures such as attractive houses and famous buildings. Preoccupations such as these could endanger the landscape, especially when high tourism traffic creates an increase in infrastructure. Suddenly concerns for the environment are quickly forgotten.

While reading about public history and the environment the example of Magnetic Hill (pictured above) in New Brunswick, popped into my head. The Hill's claim to fame is that there is a hill (obviously) where it's easier walk/drive/bike up it than it is to go down (it does opposite of what a hill is suppose to). Even the water in the ditch runs uphill. Magnetic Hill has confused citizens living in the surrounding countryside since the 19th century. It used to be located on a rural road but is now the centre of a tourist mecca.

When my parents first visited Magnetic Hill in the olden days (sometime in the 1970's) there was nothing but a sign indicating which dirt road had the hill. Later when we returned in the 1990's on our family tour of the East Coast, I remember there was maybe a parking lot and increased signage. However, the last few* times I have visited Magnetic Hill in the 2000's I have witnessed a drastic change. There are shops, restaurants, giant stuffed lobsters and moose, and a fudge factory (well, to tell you the truth, I have nothing against the fudge factory, every historical site should have a fudge factory). The parking lot has increased in size and concrete. The rural New Brunswick scenery that used to be there is no more and has been replaced with border line theme park.

Magnetic Hill became the environmentalists worst nightmare. The natural rural environment has been replaced by a theme park that is supposed to be a replica of a fishing village, with a nearby water park and zoo.

Working together public historians and environmentalists could have found a way to still promote Magnetic Hill to tourists, but also maintain the rural landscape. Perhaps taking this opportunity to educate people on rural New Brunswick and the type of agriculture local farmers cultivated.

*Why have I been to Magnetic Hill so much? Because of all the restaurants and shops, it's a nice rest stop on the way to Halifax. And who can resist a fudge factory?