Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit was at the Cottonwood Museum in May 2008
In the back room of The Clemenceau Heritage Museum in Cottonwood , Arizona, artist Julie Flatt and a group of girl scouts had painted a wall-size mural of pastures and cows. A white picket fence stood in front. To the left, there was a historic scarecrow and pitchfork; to the right a post-hole digger.
The bucolic painting provided a colorful backdrop for “Between Fences,” a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution. The exhibit was at the museum May 3 through June 15, 2008 . It was part of a cultural project called Museum on Main Street , which shared the Smithsonian’s collections with small-town museums.
“Between Fences” presented a cultural history of American fences in a way that was informative, interactive, fun and perhaps even provocative. It showed how fences bring us together and keep us apart—not only in our daily lives but also in business and politics. According to the Smithsonian, “Fences are powerful symbols. The way we define ourselves as individuals and as a nation shows in the way we build fences.”
The exhibit featured oversized kiosks around five topic areas:
§ This land is my land
§ Farm and fence
§ Don’t fence me in
§ Good fences make good neighbors
§ Building border
Although these kiosks were the heart of the exhibit, The Clemenceau Heritage Museum made the topic come alive for area residents and visitors with its own add-ons, such as companion displays and community programs.
In one museum case, visitors were able to compare soil samples from surrounding communities, which had a surprising range of colors—from beige and rust to deep brown. In another case, they could learn about the Sinagua Indians, who used to live in the Verde Valley.
Mary Ligget, the museum’s exhibit director, was excited about the community’s involvement in on-site and off-site programs. More than 140 photographs of fences had been submitted by Verde Valley residents of all ages for a museum-sponsored photo contest. The images were displayed at the Cottonwood Public Library during the same time the traveling exhibit was at the museum.
In another partnership, area fourth graders were given cameras to take pictures for posters to complement the kiosks. According to Ligget, by personalizing “Between Fences” in this way, the students had been able to reflect upon the meaning of fences in their own community.
During the exhibit, The Clemenceau Heritage Museum (at One North Willard) was open every day but Monday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information or to schedule tours at the museum, call 928-634-2868
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