1

Jen Glaze
Dr. Janzen
Object Interpretation
September 23, 2022

Object Interpretation: Using Objects to Tell Stories

In what ways can museums use objects to engage with visitors? Often, museums utilize

displayed objects as a way for visitors to reflect and question events through history and cultures.

Objects act as a visual tool for individuals to conduct such reflection and questioning. The

Atlanta History Center’s exhibits most certainly employ objects to tell stories — but to what

extent? Do they activate exhibits with their objects? I argue that the majority of the Atlanta

History Center’s exhibits positively connect with visitors, but there are a few examples that the

museum may further activate their stories. Included in this essay are three objects from varying

exhibits — Shaping Traditions, Fair Play: The Bobby Jones Story, and Native Lands. These

three objects either stick out from their perspective exhibits, or may be activated in a greater

sense. Through this essay, I discuss each object’s current context and find ways to introduce new

stories.

The Atlanta History Center’s Shaping Traditions exhibit introduces guests to folklife. The

object in the exhibit case titled, “Life’s Railway: Arrival & Departure Signs,” displays a child’s

christening gown. The main exhibit label states, “Protestants — the largest religious group in the

South — mark the joining and passing of church members with symbolic ceremonies and

objects. River baptizing and grave decorating are two such religious customs.” The christening

dress has rather descriptive and basic label copy, yet stands displayed next two christening mugs

and “birth pennies” with more extensive label copy. What exact stories does this christening

gown tell? The display makes the dress a bit left out of context — from my general
 2

understanding, the dress was in fact used for christenings, but what does that have to do with

arrival and departure signs?

I argue that if the object were utilized

correctly, perhaps the overall exhibit

would need a makeover. In fact, the

title in the exhibit case almost

introduces an entirely different story

— where are all of the signs? Just

one? So, in this exhibit I would like to

introduce a new story of Protestant

ceremony. With this dress, we could

talk more in depth of the ceremonial customs in which the dress would even act as a necessity. I

would want to find ways to connect the dress, the ceremonial mugs, and the “birth pennies,” but

use the dress as the main focus. Indeed, the dress acts as a main point of interest (it is what drew

me to the exhibit case in the first place), but perhaps the story can instead focus on dressmaking

for Protestant christenings and why communities followed the custom. This is not arguing that

arrival and departure signs would not create a fascinating story. What if, instead, they were a

separate story? I am enchanted by the idea of customs, and would like to hear more about how

families honored their young children with christenings.

The second object sits in an exhibit case outside of Fair Play: The Bobby Jones Story.

Outside of the entrance are four replicas of Bobby Jones’s trophies, seemingly acting as points of

interest to invite visitors into the exhibit. Who wouldn’t want to see a bunch of trophies?

However, we must think of the audience for sports heroes. Unfortunately (or fortunately), I am
 3

not a fan of sports and would rather spend time looking at other objects in a museum. Yet,

trophies may entice the hobbyist golfer, general sportsfan, or young child. The trophies currently

sit in their cases with basic, descriptive label copy, but do not pinpoint when they were won by

Bobby Jones, or any specific context.

Thus, I would like to focus on how to tell better stories with trophies. Trophies indicate a

winner, and having the objects next to the exhibit

entrance may create assumptions on the exhibit’s

stories. Yes, the exhibit discusses the Bobby Jones

legacy, but I argue a man is often more than his

trophies. Instead, what if the objects were moved

into the exhibit space and told a linear story of

Bobby Jones? The label copy would need to change,

of course, and while keeping the descriptive copy,

instead focus on when he won this specific trophy.

The trophies may be separated from one another

depending on their context — when

did he win each trophy, and how do

we connect the trophy to the greater

story of Bobby Jones? Were there

specific struggles during this

specific game? Thus, I would use

this trophy to find deeper context

and attempt to indicate why Bobby

 4

Jones was such an important aspect to Atlanta’s history.

The last object is a ceramic vase within the Atlanta History Center’s Native Lands

exhibit. What I find fascinating about this object is the Cherokee syllabary stamped onto the

vase. Currently, the vase is utilized

with a wicker basket, each object

focusing on a quote on native heritage.

The current label copy used with this

vase is certainly beautiful — “That’s

one way I can see of preserving our

heritage and culture. Paper can burn,

but incised in that pot, it’s going to be

there forever.” This exhibit falters in

more ways than one, and this object is

just one example. Thus, the vase can

be utilized to tell the greater story of

the Cherokee syllabary and the

Cherokees struggle for assimilation

into western cultures during the early 1800s.

On the other side of the Native Lands exhibits is the story of Sequoyah, the creator of the

Cherokee alphabet. The current label copy gives an encyclopedia-like introduction to the

Cherokee written alphabet, but does not indicate the importance of cultural preservation. The

vase, however, does. I argue that the vase must be placed near the panels detailing the syllabary.

Visitors will have more context into why the vase serves as an important object in the exhibit.
 5

The quote included with the vase further pushes the notion that the syllabary served as an act of

cultural

preservation. The

relationship with

pottery for

Cherokee ancestors

goes back

thousands of years

before European

settlement. The

vase acts as an excellent representation for Cherokee culture in the 1800s and even today. We

notice the date of the vase — 1999 — which indicates that the syllabary and need for cultural

preservation still exists for this group of people.

The three objects in this essay serve as reference points for the greater story told in each

exhibit. Yet, simple considerations such as object placement and detailed label copy may

completely change a person’s perspective on the stories being told. Objects can be powerful tools

for storytelling. In fact, I argue that most exhibits would tell rather boring stories without objects.

Objects, however, must be utilized in a way that further advances the story to connect visitors

with the written information.