Interpreting Christmas at Museums and Historic Sites

Kenneth C. Turino is manager of community partnerships and resource development at Historic New England, where he oversees community engagement projects, community exhibitions, and fundraising. Since 1993, he has given presentations on the history of Christmas mainly for historic sites and libraries. Max A. van Balgooy is president of Engaging Places, a design and strategy that connects people and historic places. He regularly teaches interpretation at George Washington University and the American Association for State and Local History.

This indispensable guide offers a feast of practical and thoughtful ideas for museum programming around Christmas and other winter holidays. The authors provide crucial historical, cultural, and religious context and share wisdom derived from a wide range of institutional experience. Useful advice includes both highly specific details (such as where to find collection-safe Christmas greenery) and multiple, energizing perspectives on creating welcoming, inclusive, accurate, community-driven—and popular!—seasonal exhibitions and events.