Human Interactivity in Museums

In his oral history keynote, Jake Barton discusses the act of love and listening as well as his work with Local Projects and on the 9/11 Memorial. Barton is the principal and founder of Local Projects, a media design firm that has been installing pieces for museums and other public spaces. These installations are interactive and story-centric.

This concept translates to the museum commemorating the events of September 11th. According to his oral history keynote, a third of the world watched the planes crash into the World Trade Center while another third of Earth's population heard about it in the first 24 hours after it occurred. This means most people have a story about where they were when they found out about the terrorist attacks. By collecting these stories in the form of photographs and oral histories, visitors are able to experience the memorial in a more authentic way. Rather than an objective narration of history, they hear first-hand accounts of other people around the world. At the end of the exhibit, visitors have a chance to contribute themselves and answer questions like, "How could 9/11 happen?"