Heritage Sites for HIST 431

A heritage site (historical museum or historic site) can be the focus of an optional assignment for HIST 431.

Requirements

You must do two things to complete the assignment.

1. Visit a historical museum or a historic site. It is not possible to define precisely what constitutes a “historical museum” or a “historic site,” and so let’s stick with museums or sites that are officially constituted or designated as such. Historical museums are constituted by historical organizations; historic sites are designated (and usually marked) by historical agencies. You already know what I’m talking about in a common-sense way, but I want to be as explicit as possible for purposes of the assignment. If you have a question whether a museum or site is suitable, ask me. The museum or site can be anywhere on the plains, or even elsewhere, if the subject of the museum treats the plains, but it must be a physical museum or site, not a virtual one.

2. Write a report (250-300 words) reporting on your visit to the museum or site and your thoughts about it. The report should be sound in composition and should be not only descriptive but also reflective. You should make an evaluation of the museum or site in the manner of a historian (see remarks and rubric below). When you have completed your report, post it to Webblog.

Here’s a hint about evaluating a museum or site in the manner of a historian. Recall the discussion in Lecture 1 about the purposes of History: judgment and identity. Museums and sites are not usually about judgment; they are about identity. In constituting a museum or designating a site, someone is asserting an identity. Someone is telling a particular story in a certain way. The story has purposes, values, and interpretations in it. Sometimes these are explicit, sometimes you have to induce them, and sometimes they are sort of mixed up, but it is up to you to note and evaluate them. Concisely, since this is a short assignment.

The assignment earns up to 20 points toward participation total in the course.

Evaluation of the Assignment

You will receive a score for the assignment as an e-mail reply from your instructor. Here is the rubric by which your work on this assignment will be evaluated.

Element	Points
Is the museum or site clearly identified—name, location, organization, date of visit?	2
Is the museum or site described clearly and concisely?	6
Are the outstanding features of the museum or site noted?	4
Does the report evaluate the purposes, values, and interpretations conveyed by the museum or site?	6
Is the report sound as to rhetoric and style?	2
Total Points Possible	20

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