A new exhibit at the Springfield Museums is highlighting the city’s revolutionary ideas from the past to this present day.
“The Declaration of Innovation” exhibit has hands-on activities like puzzles, pictures, and even historically accurate costumes from the past that visitors can wear. The exhibit has these so people that learn from either touch, sight, or even sound can be engaged in the Springfields past.
Elizabeth Kapp, is the curator of history at the Springfield Museums. She said the new exhibit is meant to commemorate Springfield's contributions to the Nation on its 250th anniversary.
“Well, the city of Springfield has a truly incredible history. And as the curator of history, I spend my days discovering new innovations that Springfield has developed past and present,” she said. “And so what I love about Springfield, Massachusetts, is the fact that it just keeps surprising. And you never know what's around the corner.”
The exhibit showcases the perspectives of colonists grappling with independence from British rule; it highlights Springfield's contribution to the American language through its association with Merriam-Webster and t explores Springfield's emergence as a center of industrial innovation as people can join an assembly line using different parts to build and customize a vehicle.
“I hope people really engage and get hands-on with our history through all of our hands-on interactives here as part of our Declaration of Innovation exhibit,” Kapp said.
She said Springfield is often overlooked by larger cities as a major contributor in American History. These exhibits aim to remind people of its rich history.
“Declaration of innovation, was this understanding that anyone can be revolutionary because these thoughts that start outside the box, and then become more and more possible and feasible, they can come from anywhere. And so it's really, it is quite inspiring to see time and time again how just about anyone has the ability to be revolutionary,” Kapp said.
The exhibit highlights one of Springfield’s present day revolutions — the “Save our Sons” movement. It is a community driven initiative by local mothers and anti-violence advocates against gun violence.
Through the interactive activities and the history store, the exhibit aims to motivate visitors to learn about Springfield’s past and present while showcasing the city’s revolutionary ideas. The exhibit is on display at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History through Sept. 27.
