Planning and Storytelling with Collections

Abstract

The newest Smithsonian museum, the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NAAAAHC), is set to open in the fall of 2016. Since its establishment in 2003, the museum has built a collection to help tell the story of the African American experience and how it shaped—and continues to shape—both America and the world. One of the ways that we hope to share our collections prior to the museum's opening is through the Smithsonian's Transcription Center (TC). The TC allows virtual visitors to explore and interact with Smithsonian materials in a personal way. In order to make this possible, NAAAAHC developed a plan to highlight collections based around the themes of the museum's inaugural exhibits, unexplored collections, and research interests. This article examines how collections are picked for the TC, the establishment and evolution of in-house workflows to sustain the work, and collaboration with curators, researchers, education, and social media staff to enhance the public's online experience.