Viewpoint: New Idaho State Museum ready to open
Big. Changes, on the outside, the new, construction, wraps around the original, museum. Big changes, on the inside there's. 43, different multimedia elements, its immersive, interactive and, informative we, want to think about how people like to learn today high-tech history, mixed, with time-tested, touches, some people love to just look at the artifacts, there's a lot of artifacts they're renovated, and reimagined, Idaho State Museum will open to the public soon the, long wait almost over, and not sure words can explain it because it has been a five-year, process, a tour, of Idaho's, new home of history, ahead on viewpoint. Channel-set. This, is viewpoints. And. Welcome, to viewpoint I'm Doug Patt Cash the new Idaho State Museum opens, to the public this Friday, October 12th. The old Idaho State Historical, Museum closed, four, years ago for the 17, million dollar makeover that added eighteen thousand square feet of space state. And tribal leaders will cut the ribbon during a ceremony that starts at 9:00 a.m. on Friday then the doors will open at 11:00 the new version is very different, you'll experience, Idaho, history in a whole new modern, way but, the museum does hold on to an antique, aesthetic, with more than 500, artifacts, on display including. Some old favorites, later, on in the show we'll look at why the project took so long why it costs, seventeen million dollars and why, leaders decided to change the name from the Idaho Historical. Museum to, the Idaho State Museum but first we're, gonna show you around Idaho, State Historical, Society, executive, director Janet Gallimore gave me a tour of what visitors will experience. Janet. As we stand here outside the museum, how excited, are you for people, to finally be able to walk, through those doors and see what has been created here well. Like I'm not sure words can explain it because it has been a five year process and, of course by the time we had, approval to move forward and, did all of the pre-planning. Then all. The community engagement, and then finally, actually, got to the point of really. Installing. And making this reality it's such an honor and such a gift and we're thrilled how, much space, have, you added and what, kinds of work can people see from the outside, well. The original museum. Was about 28,000, feet and we've added about 18,000. So it's really. Great, size now and, what we have done that really, solved, a lot of logistics, problems, is that we've created dedicated. Space for exhibits dedicated. Space for community sort. Of using the space whether it be for programming, or whether it be for personal events and then, a beautiful foyer, which will host schoolchildren, or tourism groups and then an education, space so all of those things can happen at the same time okay, so where are we now so. We're in the foyer and this. Is the place that people will enter they'll, be greeted at the front desk and this, is where your experience starts. Whether you're a school group of 30 or a tour group or just a family and or just by yourself and the, idea in the foyer here why we have this big touchscreen map, is that where, it sets up the big idea, of the exhibition experience. And that is Idaho's, land and the uniqueness of that land being a very irregularly. Shaped state, tucked, in and among rectangular. States really. Drove human, development. Over time and so that idea of land and people shaping each other is the, anchor story upon, which all of the interpretation. Of the state history, exhibits, are told so. Here you get a chance to. Learn. More about about, 70, icons, that are natural, and cultural. The, internment camp in Anoka you, have, that. Was in the spring so we mixed we, mixed together human. Insights and then also natural, sights so that people got a sense of that landscape, so, this is most likely that the first exhibit that. People will, investigate, when they come that's correct so the origins, exhibit, is really the, what we call the, orientation. Exhibit, so what you want to do in this exhibit is set up that big story again and here, you get a sense, of Idaho's, grandeur, the size of the state the Palouse, the mountains, the Sawtooths, what. Idaho looks like seasonally. And we, talked a little bit again about the relationship, of land and people in this exhibit, which is an. Amazing. Visual. Overview. Of, Idaho, in different seasons you. Get a sense of the outside, landscape, and again the people interacting. With it so this whole really. Powerful. First experience, makes, you feel like you're there we are in the origins, theater and we worked with each of the federally. Recognized, tribes to get, permission to capture. The origin, stories, and then, describe. Them in this beautiful, multimedia. Way and so. They, start out in the tribal language, and then they fade into English and then the story is told by one.
Of The elders or someone from the tribe that the tribe selected, but, the story is done in this beautiful multimedia. Treatment, so that it's, again, very powerful, very captivating. And it, sets, up the story of the land and people relationship. As early, as the tribal origin stories it was a very modest, expansion you. Know eighteen thousand feet is not a lot of space but, because of the way we designed, this it. Allowed, for a lot of being able to experience. The visual, impact, of the exhibits, in a very dynamic way and. There's a great blend, of. Artifacts. Graphics. Multimedia. There's 43, different multimedia, elements, and those. Are really an essential. For creating a powerful emotional, experience. And and we want to think about how people like to learn today some people love to read so there's a lot of reading some, people love to just look at the artifacts, there's a lot of artifacts over 500, there's, over 900. Graphic panels, with foot photography, over, 500, artifacts and then of course the multimedia altogether. Designed. Purposely, to create a very powerful experience so, the idea, of how Idaho, got its shape was one of the things that we learned early, in our. Exploration. And looking at what scholars said if you only had one or two big ideas about what could be the, most important, story about Idaho. Invariably. They said the shape of the state and how it influences. The way that we developed and water so, here right at the beginning of the experience, you get to learn a little bit about how do we get our shape, have. You ever noticed how distinctive, Idaho, looks amidst the orderly, rectangular, shapes of its neighbors well how, did Idaho's, unique, shape come to be let's. Find out, Idaho. The land and its people so. Again this gives you a sense as a visitor, that you're going to be seeing. The state from three different perspectives. Lakes. And forests Salmon River North the central mountainous region and then the Snake River plain and. Over here to you of the the large. Panel. Of the. Big burn 1910. The, huge fire that, well. Unfortunately killed, quite, a few people but also almost destroyed, Wallace and Roy a towns up north and it's a, fire. That really kind of set the standard for the way fires are fought today that's exactly right and that's why we are a leader in fire management in, Idaho, and this.
Experience. Is. Meant. To give you an. Overview, of what it would have felt like to be in that fire so as we do push. This button you, can you, get a sense of what the forest looked like before the fire you, get of, the lightning, and the weather conditions that caused this fire and then you get a sense of when, it reaches, the big blowup how terrifying. It, must have been we, did a design-build. Process. With these exhibits and we, did that purposely, for two reasons to integrate, multimedia. Artifact. Display, graphics. Photography at the front end all the way through because, if you created an exhibit and then you tried to add multimedia, to it later it would be more difficult and it wouldn't connect, the story as well, so, by doing this, altogether you are able to balance, out all of the elements, of what we know today is how people like to learn and some. People are various audio, learners, some people are very visual learners, some people like, to read some people like to manipulate artifacts. So we wanted to create something that was highly. Designed. Purposely. To create the maximum experience. And the maximum learning, so, we saw North Idaho as you mentioned earlier people can choose the. Different regions, of the state to check out this is central Idaho central Idaho so here you get to understand, a, lot about recreation. Sun. Valley and, going. Across the Salmon River beautiful. Amazing, heart of our state on the Salmon River scope you, also get to learn a little bit about endangered, species and, so this. Animation. Is all about lonesome, Larry and how about, he was, the last surviving. Sockeye. Salmon that made it back to redfish, lake and he, is the grandfather of such sockeye and left of the present NHS, as we mentioned before you've. Got this mix. Throughout, exactly. Written word. Interactivity. And, amazing. Artifice, that's right so that. Was all incorporated, from the beginning that was the thought process that's, the thought process because you want the story is what's most important, and then you figure out how to tell that story by, what kind of artifacts, you have what kind of photographs, you have and in, the case we, also wanted, this to be a statewide effort. So, we borrowed. Photos, got permission to use photos from all over the state so that you'll find things. That are credited. To Boise. State or U of I or the later county has Oracle Museum. Or you. Know. Repositories. From all over the state because we wanted to reflect not only our collections, but make this be a statewide project. So you get to go through a series of activities that, help you understand, something better in this case architecture. You, get to order an arranged photos, based upon looking at clues you, get to take, a look at artifacts, and then marry. Them up with a sort. Of another game and understand, a little bit about artifacts, that tell a story in this. Area, you get to learn about, maps. And, overlaying. Different, visuals, on top of maps in this case it's the Matt Clark's, map of the United States you get to learn about the. United States geography, in the waterways, and what have you and then, you end, up doing a culminating. Exercise, you get to learn about, archaeology. And what have you so this is more in-depth. Experience, thinking about all of these resources and, how to learn more about tell, us. Where. We are here and how you this is kind of based on the Smithsonian, as you were saying.
Well. We are in the first, inaugural. Exhibit. And it's actually the first exhibit, of textiles, from the collection, and we're. Very blessed, that dr. Carol McGregor was. Quite. The advocate. For us showcasing. The textiles, we hold in the museum's collection we. Have over 12,000. Items, of historic dress mens, womens, military, gowns. And very. Few of them could ever be on exhibit before because we just didn't have the space and the gallery set up to do it so what are all of these so these are, from. 1911, to the present, and these are free. Of miss Lori's gowns from the inaugural balls this is intensely. Hands-on, so what you can do is you. Can put dynamite. In the wall and then scream. Fire in the hole, and then you know push the plunger so, okay let's do it so. Just stick whatever ya, load it up. Okay. Ready, yep fire in the hole. Kids. Are gonna love this and then they can put their little mining, hat on and go through the mine and look for gems and, you, can blow the Train or, so you, can learn how to do Morse code, this. Is all about hands-on, learning, through. Play so, Jim what is the. Philosophy and, how. You approached. Putting, this museum, together, well. Like this is I try to keep it really simple because it's complicated, but I think the big thing is you want to do the right thing and then you want to do it right, it's about vision, it's about planning it's about engagement. It's about donor interaction. It's about bringing, everybody together to be part of the family, of this idea by all of the outreach that we did across the state and by, being purposely, disciplined, to stay to the storyline we. Created something that we we know people will love. Now. Again the museum opens to the public after a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the morning of Friday October 12th. And so, how did planners, decide what to include and, what the philosophy, would be on how to tell the story of Idaho Idaho, State Historical, Society, executive, director Janet gala more will join me in studio next to answer those questions and we'll talk about the cost and the length of the project stay tuned. Need. To refresh a room in your home yep, this, one well, right now at Furniture Row you can get a look you love starting, at just ten bucks a month ten bucks a month that's right just ten bucks a month at Furniture, Row you'll find hundreds, of incredible, rooms starting, at you guessed it just ten bucks a month plus. 60 months no interest financing. Enjoy. The largest selection, for the lowest prices guaranteed only. At Furniture Row. We've. Got ourselves a, showdown to, be, called the best in Texas and, the. Newly faced off-white. Every. Four years, well. You. Better make your shot child. To exit. All eyes on the showdown all. Eyes, on Sunday, Night Football. Tuesday. Your. Father's a veteran, so were you able to draw on his experiences. One. Of the biggest mysteries of this is us begins. How do I know so little about my dad's time in Vietnam and, a dangerous procedure she, is having surgery. I'm. Gonna die tomorrow becomes. A life-changing. Experience. There. Is no way in hell you should have a baby what are you guys talking, about this. Is us Tuesday, on, NBC a, near. Fatal collision, tears a family, apart, they'll. See, anything unusual but, was this crash really, an accident I think you tried to kill her son Chicago. Fire Wednesday, at 9:00 8:00 central on, NBC. His. Sons really sick. You. Cannot deny that boy at transplant, I just. Need a little more time he doesn't have time. Chicago. MIT you would stay on NBC, and, welcome back to viewpoint I'm Doug Patt cache decisions. Decisions a, lot of them have to be made on a project, the scale of the renovation, of the Idaho State Museum, among, those how, big should the budget be what, exhibits, need to be included and what should the place be called joining. Me now to talk more about the logistics and the philosophy, of the new Idaho State Museum is Idaho. State Historical, Society, executive, director, Janet Gallimore Janet, thanks for coming in studio as well as for the tour of the, music great to be here Doug thank you you're, welcome first, well let's start with why did the museum have to be closed for four years for this project well.
There's A lot of behind the scenes work that has to happen in a project like this first of all we had to move everything out of the museum which was quite the project that took about nine months and we, did that with the help of Mountain Home Air Force Base volunteers, which was great then. We had to do s bestest abatement, that took another nine months then of course all the building bidding and what-have-you has to happen and, we, had to do the design of the exhibits, which included, a nine-month, community. Engagement, process across the state and of course we had a tough winter so that put the construction, behind so all in all it's mostly, because of good planning with, a little bit of weather interference, and seventeen, million dollars for this overall project, what, did the people of Idaho get for that seventeen million dollars how was that budget spent, well. Eight point nine million was on renovating the building which was really an. Amazing. Investment. So. We renovated, 28,000. Feet and we added 18,000. Feet so that that that and that building was pretty set. 8.9, million we really had to stick to that number and then, with the exhibitions, we originally, looked at about a three million dollar budget for exhibitions, but once we did that state community, engagement, we learned that people wanted much more multi. Media, interactivity. And more immersive. Exhibits, and so that, made us look at alternatives. At four million six million and eight million for the exhibitions, and with, the help of our foundation, and doing additional, fundraising and with the state of Idaho matching, that private money we, were able to look, at an eight million dollar exhibition. Budget and so but I think 13, million or so was from state, money right and then you also raised. Four within four five four point three million for this project. Now. There's. So much in there and there's so much to see how do you decide, what. To put on display and what those exhibits would look like well. The big thing that we have to do Doug is we start with the big idea and that's why our state, historian went, around the state talking to university, scholars, and other scholars, over 50 scholars, across the state to identify, if you had one or two big ideas to. Communicate. Through a museum experience, what could they be and that is the idea of the, the shape of the state and Idaho's, land, and how how, that grandeur, of our land shaped human development.
Commerce And what heavy overtime and the importance, of water so, with those two big anchor ideas, then our state historian wrote about a 20-page white paper that sort, of laid out what could those stories look like across the state and then, we decided to interpret, the state geographically. Salmon, River North Central mountainous region Snake River plain and, then, layered in stories, that. Really kind of fell along the big idea and that's how you start thinking, about the story and then you select artifacts, photos and build. The rest of the experience, around those well I mean you have 50,000. Artifacts. Or pieces. Of Idaho, history stored how, do you Whittle, that down to what was it 508. Artifacts, or something like that well, again it goes back to the story so once you have the storyline laid out in your interpretive, strategy then the design team looks for what are the big artifacts, like things like Oregon. Trail wagons, and the big piece from I&L, with a big. Control. Panel so you look for where you're in a place the big objects, and then you look for objects that best help to articulate, the story and then. You make sure that you build the storyline around those do. You think there's something there for everybody I mean you you talked about it in the piece that during, the tour about how you, think about how people learn today, but, it's also kind of about how people learned back in the day because you've got the interactivity, that it's gonna be great for you know a lot of people but also you know it's just very modern, but, you've got the art of facts and you've got a lot of reading so was it about just. Putting all of that together to give that overall experience, to so that everybody, would find a way to enjoy, it and interpret it in, their own way I think. Two big, key. Ideas. There one, is of course you want to have a mixture of styles. So you want to have immersive. Exhibits, you want to have beautiful graphics, you want to have photos which we tried to source from throughout, the state so that all, parts, of the state would feel part of the museum experience and, of course artifacts, so you've, got a nice blend of what people love to see in museums but, I think the other thing that was very purposeful, and by design is to make sure that we wove in, all disciplines, and, in, a way that could, serve K. Through career, and so, what, if you're interested in art you'll find a beautiful art from the collection, or if you're interested in science and technology you, couldn't get more inspired. Than going down in a mine shaft from, seven stories to now 9,000, feet or, figuring. Out how you got to the top of Baldy, on the first, chairlift. In Idaho so, whether. It's science art stories, or, what. We would call traditional social studies there is something, for everyone and that was by design, and. Now there is that slight change one of the things, that didn't come forward with the museum, was, the name it, was the Idaho Historical, Museum now, the Idaho, State Museum and that was very intentional as well why did you decide to change, the name that way well. Two reasons we wanted to be sure that people across, the state felt, part of this museum experience, it was very important, to us that from, Bonners Ferry to Franklin, and all parts in between people.
Felt Part of the State Museum so we wanted to be sure that we focused, on the. State as a whole and then, the second thing is that we, again looked at history, being the mothership of all disciplines if, we'll and whether, you're interested in art, or language or science, or any, facet. Of Idaho's, history we wanted everyone, to feel that, history was inclusive of all of those disciplines, so, we really want to State focus in the name but a multidisciplinary. Focus for history why do you think ultimately it's, important, to have a place like this in Idaho well. I think, for. A number of reasons I think Idahoans. Love their state so I guess number one is to tell the story in a way that all Idahoans, can be proud of their state and have. It be a showcase for their region and the, second thing is that history. Gives identity, to community, and when. We think about new, people coming to the state which there are a lot there, is, a way to share, our story with them so that they can feel part of that in terms of the context, of their own individual. Experience, and then, of course as a showcase, for our state one of the things from the business community's, point of view and from of course, our government point of view is they want a place where businesses, will, be inspired. To relocate and businesses. Like great. Places like museums, and other, amenities if, they're going to move their companies, and families, here all, right we'll stay right where you are we've got one more segment to go so still ahead this morning we're gonna wrap, things up by letting you know how much it will cost for you to visit the new Idaho State Museum stay tuned. It's. One of the most anticipated midterm. Elections, in history. Turn to NBC, News for, Pittsburgh political, coverage every, single vote really does count you get elected to the Senate would you support an effort like that in-depth analysis, of every race across. The country, this is the district the Democrats, think is one of the most flippable in the country you feel like an underdog in this race to your local tea been, a long time. Impact. You join. NBC for, complete, coverage of decision, 2018. The. Things that give our lives meaning and, joy can also be a struggle. To manage sometimes, that leaves us feeling not so great, somewhere in between perfection. And not. Is, a life in balance what, we're talking about Sunday's. On the news at 10:00, one of the hardest parts for me is not, exactly, knowing and when, I went into my next pregnancy not knowing what, you should do differently pregnancy. And loss, and helping. Families heal life, in balance tonight News at Ten. America. Can't get enough of TV's number, one new show manifest. Since, I've been back different. You're, one of the chosen. The. Victim was B flight 80 wait it's the reason that she was killed this, is about every person on that plane any one of us could be next, all, I wanted for so long was, to have you back. We're, being targeted I need to protect my family. Manifest. Monday. After. The voice on NBC. All. Right so we've told you what's inside the new Idaho, State Museum so how much will it cost to get you inside. The museum, here are the admission prices for you for adults 18, to 59 years old the admission price is $10, for children it's $5, for, students with ID for. Seniors 60, and over and for veterans admission. Is $8. Idaho, State Historical, Society, executive, director Janet Gallimore has been my guest today so Janet are there other deals, or memberships that go in along with those different, price points for the different groups yes, there's, a wide range of opportunities and if people join as members then they do get admission complimentary. And there's different, levels of membership so, depending. Upon your package whether it's for a family, or an, individual, there's, different benefits, and so. We. Do what we will have discounts, throughout the year for special purposes. But there's, oh there's a way for everyone, to experience their, new state museum and how, did you come, to those those, prices for, the. Different groups well, we were very blessed the, State, Historical Society is expected. To be as self-sustaining. As possible, as is the new museum and so we look at a mixture, of revenue, sources to help us operate and we, were able to do a business plan that helped us look at what was comparable, pricing, in in in Idaho, museums, and in the Northwest so we, really tried to set those prices as, comparables. To other organizations.
And Since. This is an amazing, facility with, all new amenities, it's certainly a, great, value, for the for people's opportunity. For admission and just, a little bit of time we have left ultimately, what do you hope the visitor gets out of an experience there, well. What I hope is that people come, away with the understanding. A little bit about Idaho's, history, and the context, for their life today because this is not about looking, internally, at what the museum does it's looking. At our service. To the state and we want every, single Idahoan. To feel part of the Idaho State Historical, Society, family, and part. Of Idaho, and they can do that at the Idaho State Museum again, it opens October 12th, this Friday to the public at 11:00 a.m. ribbon-cutting, ceremony from 9 to 11 right. Outside the new Idaho, State Museum Janet thank you thank you so much well that is all of our time for this week's viewpoint, thank you so much for watching, I'm Doug pet cash I'll see you tomorrow on today's Morning News and then right back here next Sunday morning for another viewpoint.
2018-10-10 17:16
