Interpreting Maritime History at Museums and Historic Sites - (Interpreting History) by Joel Stone (Paperback)

About the Book

Interpreting Maritime History at Museums and Historic Sites lays the groundwork for keeping this heritage alive in museums and historic sites. It provides the broadest spectrum of discussion and direction for those approaching new installations, projects and programming.

Book Synopsis

Interpreting Maritime History at Museums and Historic Sites lays the groundwork for keeping this heritage alive in museums and historic sites. It provides the broadest spectrum of discussion and direction for those approaching new installations, projects and programming.

Review Quotes

A great guide for the student, amateur, and seasoned professional; there is literally something for everyone interested in the interpretation of maritime history from pleasure boats to music and archaeology to vessel design. Joel Stone and his fellow authors present concrete examples of how to interpret maritime history through an examination of the field including history, theory, experienced- based programming, and hands-on learning both below the water and above.

With lively prose and striking examples, this book connects America's rich maritime legacy to the present with a powerful argument: The sea has played an essential role in American history and demands interpretation at museums and historic sites. Joel Stone and other leading museum professionals and maritime experts provide crucial background on maritime history and engaging 'how to' case studies for representing the sea in museum installations and programs. The topics range widely, from lighthouses and shipwrecks to sea shanties and recreational boating. Together, the contributions elevate awareness about the significance of water to the human experience --- and why that relationship deserves greater attention in our cultural centers.

Interpreting Maritime History at Museums and Historic Sites does a good job of covering the wide ranging topic of maritime history and its many intersections within the broader cloth of general United States history. The authors represent a range of history practitioners who do an excellent job of reinforcing the notion that American maritime history is at once a global story covering not only our ocean coasts and communities, but much of the interior of the country as well - from the Great Lakes to the reaches of the Mississippi River and its tributaries. This book uses the lens of our great maritime traditions to look at topics ranging from historic preservation, material, and popular culture to environmental, racial, and social issues that museums and historic sites must confront in order to stay relevant today.

About the Author

Joel Stone, editor of this volume, is senior curator with the Detroit Historical Society, which manages the Detroit Historical Museum, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, and a significant collection of both archival and physical maritime artifacts. Besides attending to the rich trove of Detroit history, he specializes in the matters of the North American maritime.