Living History

David Allison is Manager of Onsite Programs at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. He helps to create and sustain high-quality shows and facilitated experiences for visitors of all ages. His most recent projects at the museum include writing and developing a new multimodal show on the science of flight. In addition, he works with a team of enactors who portray composite historical characters in the gallery halls and for temporary exhibits at the museum.

• INTRODUCTION.. Using Living History to Connect with VisitorsPUTTING LIVING HISTORY IN CONTEXTMAKING MEANING AND CREATING AUTHENTICITY AT MUSEUMSEXAMINING SUCCESSFUL FIRST-PERSON INTERPRETATIONThe Power of Children at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis“History Players” at the Minnesota History CenterEnactment at the Denver Museum of Nature & ScienceTheater and Exhibit Actors at the Science Museum of MinnesotaOPENING DOORS AT CONNER PRAIRIE “THEY’RE TRYING TO LEARN FOR FREE!”Playing with Living History in Pop CultureCONCLUSION..Using Living History for Stronger Programing and Education

Whatever you think of living history, this book offers a much-needed fresh look at the interpretive method and cautions that it must adapt to remain effective. Allison’s voice of experience guides the reader through recent changes and his mixture of interviews, scholarship and personal anecdotes makes it an easy read.