Jennifer Eadie Hopkins '14, park guide at Andersonville National Historic Site (ANHS), researched and designed a temporary exhibit to illustrate the planning, construction, and grand opening of the National Prisoner of War Museum to commemorate its 20th anniversary. The museum, at ANHS, shares the story of prisoners of war throughout American history and doubles as the visitor center for the historic site.
Having an interest in museum exhibit design sparked by her time at Wesleyan, Hopkins volunteered to help with the 20th anniversary project. Her role in the exhibit consisted of research, interviews, and layout design.
As a history major at Wesleyan, Hopkins learned about museum exhibit design through a public history and historic preservation class taught by Associate Professor of History Dr. Karen Huber. The class emphasized active learning by visiting different museums to look at how they used and displayed objects to convey significance.
"While working on the museum's temporary exhibit, I remembered small details from Dr. Huber's public history class about making the text intriguing and inviting, and creating a layout that helped the story flow. My time at Wesleyan really built up my critical thinking skills which I think helps me in my career," said Hopkins.
The exhibit will be on display throughout the summer. Hopkins is currently working on another exhibit that will be on display in the fall.