Thank you!

I agree…the exhibit opening went really well! After all the time and energy spent by everyone on this exhibit it was really satisfying to take a step back and just enjoy the completed result. It was especially interesting to see and hear people’s reactions to the exhibit. It seems like each person sees and understands an exhibit differently. I think everyone was particularly impressed by the African American artifacts on display which were found beneath the floor boards at the Brice House. One of the archaeologists, Matt Cochran who originally excavated these materials attended the opening and was especially excited to see these objects out of storage and on display for the public. My advisor at the University of Maryland, Dr. Stephen Brighton, was impressed by the variety of glass bottles found at the Maynard-Burgess house. He related them to his work involving Irish immigrants and their use of manufactured goods. My 10 year old cousin loved the Reynolds tavern case especially the animal bones on display. He was a little disappointed when he found out they were not dinosaur bones! I overheard one visitor comment about the marbles on display from the Maynard-Burgess House. She was struck by how these simple objects have been around for so long and how they are still being used. Seeing people connect with the artifacts in this way made me realize that our exhibit is a success! The whole idea behind the Seeking Liberty theme is to use archaeology to show how the citizens of Annapolis live together as one community but also as separate communities at the same time. We show how different citizens have fought in different ways to overcome prejudice and to move toward greater equality. When a visitor connects with an artifact and understands how the people who use this object are very different but also the same our message is clear. I hope that our exhibit fosters a sense of curiosity and acceptance for others no matter how different and/or similar they may be.

I want to say thank you to everyone who worked so hard to put this exhibit together. This was the first time I have ever been involved in the development of a museum exhibit and I had a great time. I was lucky to have some really great teachers to work with. Thank you especially to Banneker-Douglass Museum staff Amelia Harris, Genevieve Kaplan and Wendi Perry and to Amelia Chisholm and Dr. Mark Leone from Archaeology in Annapolis who have taught me what goes into developing an exhibit.

Also, thanks to everyone who came out on opening day. We really appreciate your support and would love to hear your comments.

Thank you!