Can You Dig It?
Date / April 15, 2019
Are you interested in the study of human activity? Can you dig it?
Carrie Allen, the local artist who was also involved in the past exhibit Busted, has a background in Classical Near Eastern Archaeology and she creates museum quality replicas. Together, Laurie and Carrie created an exhibit about the history of archaeology, and they were able to incorporate artifacts that don’t usually come out of storage. The exhibit used artifacts in different ways and explained the different methods of archaeology, from nomadic to sedimentary site.
They also incorporated Fact and Fiction, what Hollywood gets wrong about archaeology in movies such as Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider. Did you know that in World War I, archaeologists were spies? Laurie learned many interesting facts like this while doing research for the exhibit and is always happy to share. Also included in this exhibit is the museum’s very own Cabinet of Curiosity. Cabinets of Curiosity were the beginning of museums and would store and exhibit notable collections of weird or different artifacts. Come on down and check it out!
For this exhibit, they are creating a Map Wall that will be completed soon! The world map will show famous and noteworthy archaeology sites both in and around the valley and around the world. It takes a while to put these exhibits together and this map will add to the tomb-like aesthetic of the exhibit. The walls are also decorated with hieroglyphs, painted by young volunteers!
Are you interested or do you know anyone interested in the Junior Curator Program? They could be involved in the creation of museum exhibits similar to that of painting hieroglyphs! The museum is grateful to have recently received a donation of $10,000 from 100 Men Who Give a Damn Airdrie Chapter and this donation will support the Junior Curator Program. This program is for students who enjoy history and are looking for volunteer experience. The museum will be holding workshops this summer for students interested in the program. This program is a great opportunity to meet like-minded peers and get involved in the community.