That Belongs In A Museum: Archaeology and Audiences

Archaeology is a field that inspires interest and curiosity among people outside of the profession. Movies, television, newspapers, video games - numerous popular culture areas have featured archaeology or archaeologists at one time or another. However, archaeologists have fallen under criticism for not providing effective and captivating public communication. The goal of this project was to examine how to present archaeology to non-archaeologists in a way that takes advantage of the excitement generated by popular media, but also gives people an appreciation for what archaeologists actually do. Specifically this research used the method of a museum exhibit to present information on the Johannes Kolb Site, an archaeological excavation in Mechanicsville, South Carolina. Site or region-based exhibits that address not only the archaeological data, but also the needs and interest of the community are an excellent way for an archaeologist to create a multi-media method of communicating their research and message to a wide range of people