Discussing dark moments in history with children can be a difficult job, but Kennesaw State’s Museum of History and Holocaust Education is stepping up to the task with its multiple outreach programs.
According to the MHHE website, the different programs that the museum offers emphasize multiple and complex human experiences, ethical and political consequences, respect for difference and diversity of life and acceptance of civic and personal responsibility.
The museum has a team of five educators that go out and work with the community. When visiting local schools, the museum’s educators discuss different aspects with the students depending on what their teachers would like for them to learn.
“Much of what we do is tied to the Georgia Performance Standards,” said Catherine Lewis, executive director of the MHHE. “We have units on Pearl Harbor, Israel, the Holocaust and things that are specific to curricula in Georgia.”
In addition to working with schools, the MHHE also runs regular Girl Scout Days where they hand out badges.
“It’s a great option for a lot of Girl Scout troops because [they receive] hands-on education, … and it’s an area of history that isn’t often offered for Girl Scouts,” said Anna Tucker, the outreach and special events curator for the MHHE.
One of the museum’s goals in working with groups like the Girl Scouts is to make history as accessible as possible to young people.
“One of the biggest priorities that we have is that we make sure that people from all learning styles and backgrounds can feel that they have a place where they can interact with history,” Tucker said.
Another way the MHHE engages with the community is through their annual Swing Dance, which features an 18-piece band and has been known to attract up to 600 attendees, according to Lewis. The event even includes a costume contest, raffles, games and a scavenger hunt.
“It’s one of our biggest events of the whole year,” Lewis said.
Through hosting these various events and going to speak at local schools, the MHHE is inviting the community to meet history face to face.
“Because we have a museum, it’s not just a textbook or classroom, it comes alive,” Lewis said.
The museum doesn’t enlighten just its guests about the intricacies of history, explained Tucker, who said that working at the museum has been an educational experience.
“You see these individual stories and see that people matter,” Tucker said. “That’s one of my favorite parts of working at the museum. Every single day I’ve been in this field I learn something new.”
To learn more about the MHHE, their events and exhibitions, visit historymuseum.kennesaw.edu, or the museum itself located at the KSU Center off of Busbee Drive. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
