Today’s audiences crave unique EXPERIENCES that have the ability to do much more than inform. Now more than ever, when we decide to leave the house, we want to be surprised, moved, enlightened, and even transformed. Text on giant colorful panels. Text on animated touch screens. An interactive here and there.  I'm not saying that exhibit design can't be dynamic, but I do think we museum people are still too in love with disseminating information. 

The positive neurological effects of nostalgia could explain why Trump's slogan is so successful. He offers people a kind of brain medicine. So what’s the harm in tapping into nostalgia if it makes people feel good? Well, like any drug, nostalgia can cover-up real issues and stunt our ability to adapt to the present. How can history museums avoid the 'nostalgia trap?'

Are times changing? Will we have more and more emboldened, racially charged comments in our museum galleries? And if so, should we change the content or structure of interpretation that deals with racially sensitive issues and especially slavery?