Due to weather and unseen events in recent weeks, I started my internship remotely for the first two weeks. After coming into the Blacksburg History Museum and Cultural Society’s main building, the Alexander Black House, I was able to make connections to my previous internship experiences. I saw new and exciting things, I loved how many models there were of local Blacksburg Buildings and how beautifully reconstructed the Alexander Black House was. The Alexander Black House, built-in 1896 in the Queen Anne style was reconstructed during the early-mid 2000s. Much of it remained intact but from the exterior, you can’t tell there was an extension to the house. It is interesting to see the relationship between presenting historical information and engaging with cultural heritage. I do not have experience working on the cultural side of this type of institution, but I am excited to learn more through this semester.
My main projects as of today are focusing on ways in which we can gain attraction from younger audiences up until college age. For March we want to re-decorate one of the meeting rooms on the second floor and to include a photo wall to connect the museum to those who are invested in social media posts, primarily teens. My more long-term projects will involve re-making a timeline of Blacksburg history and researching for that. My hope would be to have an form of immersive digital timeline if this could be achieved but that is yet to be determined. I will also be working with the Blacksburg Museum and Cultural Foundation to re-vamp their social media and/or blog.
