by J. Nathan Matias

Holocaust/Eastern State Comparison

Both the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Eastern State Penitentiary effect a powerful experience in visitors. But they rely almost-entirely different philosophies. While the Holocaust Memorial Museum is a good example of expertly-guided narrative, the Eastern State Penitentiary is effective by encouraging visitors to take an active role in the narrative process.

At the Holocaust Memorial Museum, visual elements are used to advance the desired story-line. Walking through the exhibit brings one into contact with artifacts and sources. The exhibit feels much like a Ken Burns documentary that includes some limited visitor agency. But at Eastern State, visitors walk through the artifacts/sources, which brings them in contact with story-line. The prison itself is the primary visual element. Any included narrative is designed to help visitors imagine and understand the buildings.

Eastern State encourages active participants. Those who visit Eastern state are expected to explore, inquire, and discover. They are expected to interact with art and create art themselves. They are asked to look at the evidence and form their own opinions about incarceration. But the museum doesn't leave people hanging. For those who wish, guidance is available.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum tries to create an atmosphere around the story. Although Eastern State Penitentiary provides a story-line, the museum encourages people to find personal ways to appreciate the atmosphere.

The goals of both museums are appropriate to their topic, and both museums use methods that accomplish their goals.