Tracing the past in Fair Oaks: interpretation and exhibit design in a local history museum

This thesis explains the process by which I worked as a historical consultant to plan, design, and fabricate two exhibits for the Fair Oaks Historical Society's new History Gallery. The first exhibit was a permanent exhibit that highlighted the history of Fair Oaks, titled "Traces of the Past: History of Fair Oaks." The second exhibit, titled "Nourishing the Dream: Water and the Development of Fair Oaks," was a temporary exhibit on the role of water in the development of Fair Oaks. This thesis reviews the literature on museum studies and exhibit design that I used to guide my work. In preparing these exhibits, I conducted primary and secondary source research, produced narratives, created interpretive panels, and selected artifacts from the Historical Society's collections for display.