Spokane, WA – The MAC’s new 100 Curious Things exhibit opens September 1 highlighting Spokane’s rough-and-ready history including Stagecoaches, Tramways, Newspaper Empires, Extravagant Architecture and Colorful Characters. Designed for everyone, this exhibition introduces the MAC’s use of a new technology, the PassPort to Discovery personalized exhibit content system, with computer equipment on loan from Mobius Spokane.
“The MAC is a museum experience for the whole family,” said Marsha Rooney, Senior Curator of History. “We want visitors to be excited about the MAC’s permanent collection of this region’s history, art, and culture and enjoy an innovative interactive museum experience.”
Each MAC visitor will receive a personalized badge with their picture. On-screen avatars will greet visitors by name and paraphrase exhibit content. Each touch-screen kiosk will encourage interaction to create an active and entertaining environment. Visitors get to answer questions and rack up points – high scores are displayed.
Each of the exhibit’s four interactive kiosks offers in-depth information on an aspect of Spokane history. “Stages West” highlights a first-person account from a Tekoa stage-coach driver. “Ink on paper” describes printing processes and key points of Spokane newspaper history. “Royal Riblet” describes Spokane’s colorful inventor of aerial tramways and ski-lifts. “Campbell House: Nuts and Bolts” gives a maid’s view of the operation of one of Spokane’s early mansions, and the MAC’s largest artifact (guided tours available).
“There are so many fascinating things families can learn about our local history,” said Charlie Simon, creator of the new PassPort technology. “The PassPort system is a great way to engage visitors and hear them say, ‘The MAC is fun!’”
The 100 Curious Things exhibit opening and gallery talk is Wednesday, September 1 at 6:30 p.m. (Note that this gallery talk is the first in the MAC’s new Wednesday Night at the Museum program.) Charlie Simon will relate his adventures in the computer world, his fascination with science at places like San Francisco’s Exploratorium, and hisPassPort to Discovery projects with MOBIUS and MAC. Laura Thayer, MAC Museum Program Manager, and Marsha Rooney, Senior Curator of History, unveil three new MAC digital and exhibit projects.
The three projects (100 Curious Things, Web exhibits, and Campbell House Visitor Center) are part of a long-term project called MACapedia a multi-platform museum experience linking visitors, scholars, and curators.
The MAC features some of the region’s most interesting contemporary art, American Indian exhibits and historical artifacts. An eye-opening experience inside and out, the MAC campus is home to six galleries , a 300 seat amphitheater, historic Campbell House, the MAC Café and Museum store.
www.northwestmuseum.org