About the Museum

The American Decades Museum was started in 1997 as an interdisciplinary project to unite the American History and American Literature classes in an unconventional approach to bridge larger, abstract subjects with cultural and historical education. Working in small grops, students create a multimedia exhibit on a topic related to a specific decade in U.S. history. Each project is based on library research and "expert" interviews and includes a brochure, five media components in a museum display (one of which must be an OpenMind webpage), and a decade-appropriate costume to wear on the days the project is presented. The students produce quality projects that combine history, research, interviews, artifacts, displays, multimedia elements, and opportunities for interactive learning. After the students appear to defend their project before a panel of judges, the museum is open one evening for families and the community and then the following school day for all interested classes in the school to tour the museum.