The Museum as “Social Instrument” and Storyteller: WWII and Now
Clarissa J. Ceglio
Thursday, December 8, 2022
12:30 to 2:00 p.m.
The William Benton Museum of Art
The economic and human challenges of the Great Depression prompted U.S. museums to re-evaluate their duties to the public. In answer, some practitioners in the 1930s and ‘40s championed the vision of the museum as a “social instrument” for democracy. Such a museum engaged with contemporary issues and incorporated new modes of immersive storytelling into topical exhibitions to inspire museumgoers to take informed action on civic matters. This talk, based on Ceglio’s new book, A Cultural Arsenal for Democracy: The World War II Work of US Museums, connects this history to present-day efforts by museums to harness the power of storytelling and become agents for social change.
Held in conjunction with the 2022 Digital Media and Design Faculty Exhibition.
Clarissa J. Ceglio is a U.S. cultural historian and Associate Professor of digital humanities in the Digital Media and Design Department at the UConn Storrs campus. Her research focuses on the roles that physical and digital artifacts play in constructing national and social imaginaries within the context of museum work, past and present.
For more information, contact: Clarissa J. Ceglio at clarissa.ceglio@uconn.edu