An Exhibit of Women, By Women, But For Women?: The Limits of Interpretation at the Smithsonian
Loading...
Links to Files
Permanent Link
Author/Creator
Author/Creator ORCID
Date
2019-01-01
Type of Work
Department
History
Program
Historical Studies
Citation of Original Publication
Rights
Distribution Rights granted to UMBC by the author.
Access limited to the UMBC community. Item may possibly be obtained via Interlibrary Loan thorugh a local library, pending author/copyright holder's permission.
This item is likely protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Unless on a Creative Commons license, for uses protected by Copyright Law, contact the copyright holder or the author.
Access limited to the UMBC community. Item may possibly be obtained via Interlibrary Loan thorugh a local library, pending author/copyright holder's permission.
This item is likely protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Unless on a Creative Commons license, for uses protected by Copyright Law, contact the copyright holder or the author.
Abstract
This theses examines the First Ladies exhibit as one of the only representations of gender in the National Museum of American History. As a result, a study of the exhibit also tells us something about the evolving place of women as subjects of study and as leaders in the profession. At the same time, the First Ladies exhibits' constant display of gowns created an interpretive nostalgia among visitors who saw this display repeatedly. Examining the public response can help us understand the role of museums in shaping public perceptions of the past, of gender, and of material culture. This theses will look at the ironic place of women in museums as women push boundaries to be included in the national narrative, included in curatorial positions, and to be more broadly interpreted, but while they make some gains, women are also caged into specific interpretations of women and lower positions in museum staffs.