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Museum Exhibit

Lights Out: Recovering our Night Sky

The exhibit Lights Out: Recovering our Night Sky, was my chosen exhibit review for my DH 390 class. It is located at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and is an temporary exhibit curated by several important associations; such as, The World At Night, International Dark-Sky Association, and City Wildlife, to name just a few. The exhibit was largely supported by the Windland Smith Rice Endowment.

The Lights Out exhibit was a wonderfully designed project that show cased many important aspects of the night sky. This included importance, culture, art, and most importantly history. The presentation of the Lights Out exhibit included various photos of the night sky; most of these were photo comparisons between areas of heavy light pollution vs. areas with none. There was a digital porthole to peer through which compared the night sky in 1850 vs. the exact sky in 2020. They also had several forms of light on display as a timeline starting with torches, candles, lamps, and ending with modern electrical lighting. One of my favorite aspects presented was various animals on display. These animals were either nocturnal, had been hurt due to light pollution, or simply just need a dark sky to survive. The exhibit had a very interesting virtual photo-box showing fireflies glowing with and without light pollution, and the difference and importance was astonishing. Lastly, there was several artifacts on display showing the moon and its representation in various cultures. There was lots of digital technology and QR codes for more information.

Photo-box image depicting importance of a night sky for firefly reproduction
Porthole Digital Comparison between a night sky in 1850 vs 2020

The exhibit did a very good job including interactive pieces to keep people entertained. I believe the purpose of this exhibit was to shine light of the importance of minimizing light pollution. The curators did a great job setting up  the exhibit in a way that plays to our emotions. They built up people’s love for animals, culture, and interests then discussed how they can help. They offered simple solutions for people to contribute by using dim lighting for their houses to reduce impact. The target audience is hopefully people who use lights 24/7. People who leave a large impact on light pollution hopefully can internalize and understand the problem and possibly change.

Ways to minimize Light Pollution

I think this was a difficult project to create; there was several levels art, history, and lots of artifacts to gather and explain. They also had lots of picture comparisons with decades of years between each photo. I imagine the exhibit took lots time and a large budget. Although it was the Smithsonian, the exhibit was very large and contained multiple rooms, i would think this took lots of time and money to create. I think there was a big risk that with all the resources spent people won’t really care to change or do their part. The exhibit was definitely successful for me, it raised awareness, played to emotions, and asked for change. I felt changed by the exhibit and wanting to minimize my impact and due to this feeling I know it was a good exhibit.

Photo Evidence I was actually attended the Exhibit

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One response to “Museum Exhibit”

  1. Dr. Beasley Avatar
    Dr. Beasley

    Hi Tara. Here is my feedback on your review.

    Strengths:

    Comprehensive Overview: Your review provides a thorough overview of the Lights Out exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, covering its themes, presentation, interactive elements, and purpose. This allows readers to gain a clear understanding of the exhibit’s content and objectives.

    Inclusion of Specific Details: You include specific details about the exhibit, such as the types of photos displayed, the timeline of lighting technologies, and the interactive features like the digital comparison between the night sky in 1850 and 2020. This adds depth to your review and helps readers visualize the exhibit’s components.

    Engagement with Purpose: You articulate the purpose of the exhibit effectively, highlighting its aim to raise awareness about the importance of minimizing light pollution. By discussing how the exhibit appeals to emotions and offers simple solutions for visitors to contribute, you demonstrate an understanding of its intended impact and audience engagement strategies.

    Consideration of Audience: You identify the target audience as individuals who contribute to light pollution and emphasize the importance of their understanding and potential behavior change. By framing the exhibit’s message in a way that resonates with this audience, you acknowledge the significance of addressing their impact on the environment.

    Reflection on Difficulty and Success: You reflect on the challenges involved in creating the exhibit, such as the complexity of incorporating art, history, and artifacts, as well as the potential risk of visitor apathy despite the resources invested. Additionally, you assess the exhibit’s success based on its ability to raise awareness, evoke emotional responses, and inspire action, providing a balanced evaluation of its effectiveness.

    Areas for Improvement:

    Further Personal Reflection: While you mention feeling changed by the exhibit and wanting to minimize your impact, elaborating on your personal experience and emotional response could enhance the depth of your review. Sharing specific moments or insights from your visit could offer readers a more nuanced understanding of the exhibit’s impact on individual visitors.

    Discussion of Future Implications: Considering the long-term implications of the exhibit and its potential to inspire sustained behavior change or policy initiatives could add depth to your evaluation. Reflecting on how the exhibit may contribute to ongoing efforts to address light pollution and promote environmental conservation could offer insights into its lasting impact.

    Overall, your review effectively captures the strengths and significance of the Lights Out exhibit, offering valuable insights into its thematic exploration, audience engagement strategies, and impact on visitors.

    Reply

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