January 2008 Beachscape - Experience An Outdoor Exhibition
The recent installation of 28 new interpretive panels by the Jekyll Island Museum is a matter of celebration to Gretchen Greminger, the Jekyll Island Museum’s curator.
Greminger is excited that the new installations will provide an additional opportunity for tourists to become aware of the amazing depth of history tied to Jekyll Island’s past.
“In the past, we have missed opportunities to connect with some of our casual guests who are just passing through,” Greminger noted.
“These visitors may be walking through our historic district, or biking along our trails, but if they don’t pick up a brochure they may not already be familiar with Jekyll Island’s mesmerizing history. We don’t want them to miss all that the museum has to offer.”
The new panels were created to help counteract this problem. Four of the panels replaced old outdated maps in the historic district, 16 brand new information panels were scattered throughout the historic district, and for the first time, eight panels have been placed at the Horton House Historic Site.
Greminger noted that the project would not have been possible without the support of the Friends of Historic Jekyll Island, who contributed approximately $40,000 to fund the project. “It was the financial support of the Friends of Historic Jekyll Island that really enabled this project to move forward. The museum would not have been able to complete such an ambitious project without such assistance,”
Greminger stated.
Greminger emphasized that, through the panels, the museum has the opportunity to share lesser-known details about the island, stating “Some panels convey stories about the architects of the buildings or about those club members who did not build cottages on the island, but still made important contributions to our history.”
“They also allow us to share our oral histories and photographs in order to illustrate the lives of the employees of the club,” Greminger added. “The club employees were truly the backbone of the Jekyll Island Club. They lived here and enjoyed the opportunities present on Jekyll Island, just as the club members did.”
The stories, pictures and details presented in the information panels are different than what is shared in the museum’s walking tour guidebooks and guided museum tours, Greminger said.
“We wanted to provide a layering of information,” she explained. “From a marketing standpoint, we hope to intrigue people and interest them in taking our guided tours to find out more. But the panels will also be informative for those who do not plan to take a tour during this visit.”
Greminger is especially pleased that the panels enable the museum to present new stories and to share some the wealth of material that the museum collects in its photo archives.
“We were able to digitize about 1,000 new photographs from the collection as part of this project,” Greminger said. “Working on these information panels has enhanced our knowledge, increased our database of material, and expanded our ability to provide information to researchers at the museum.”
The interpretive panels can be located by following the maps available in the Jekyll Island Museum’s new brochures or by discovering one of the information panels with maps placed on them. These panels are typically placed near parking lots.
“These interpretive panels truly are an outdoor exhibition, and well worth the investment of seeking them out,” Greminger said. “Ride a bike, take a walk, and enjoy Jekyll Island’s beautiful scenery in your hunt for the panels. Discover why the Jekyll Island Museum truly is a historic site museum.”
Tags: historic site, horton house, Jekyll Island Beachscape, jekyll island museum
