It should come as no surprise I’m pondering the impact of “living history” museums. They are where I got my start, and for much of my early career, I was “1st Person.” My job was to help visitors understand the cultural environment in which my historical person lived. 1/3

Other colleagues led walking tours, or interpreted trades, husbandry and foodways. We all had to contend with nostalgic visitors who “longed for simpler times.” And there in lies the inherent problem with these sites. Times were NOT simpler. They were different. 2/3

Wars waged, rich exploited poor, politics were partisan and abuse of “the other” was rampant. If our sites were more intentional, we could truly provide relevant history to those so woefully needing it. Perhaps the pining for celebratory history experiences would wane.