ideation | illustration | Research
The Tinsley Living History House is a seasonal portion of the Museum of the Rockies featuring an 1800s homestead, flower garden, barn, root cellar, and more. Volunteers dress in period accurate clothing and demonstrate tasks such as yarn spinning, baking, and woodshop. The house provides an incredible insight into the time period, but it is often overlooked by guests of the museum as its advertising lacks intrigue. They also struggle with maintaining local returning guests. Through researching challenges the house faces, advertising strategies, and ways to involve the public, I came up with a punch card-style rotating activity program to involve local children, and therfore their parents as well.
The Punch Card
The punch card for the Tinsley Living History Young Historian Program is designed to reflect a coffee shop or library reward system. It encourages local kids to return to the Tinsley House with a promise of reward. One stamp would be rewarded with a snack or treat, three stamps would allow the child to return on labor day weekend to pick a flower from the garden, and five would reward the child and their guardian with a free day pass to the museum. The card includes an illustration of the house with flowers that bugs will be stamped on as the crafts are completed.
The Craft Sheet
The women volunteering were incredibly passionate about what they do and were able to show me a variety of crafts that could be utilized in my rotation. The craft sheet design is inspired by letterpress and 1800's newspapers. The sheet includes information on the historical relevance of the craft, instructions, and upcoming events. The example shows a twist on traditional cut out paper dolls. In order to be inclusive to gender and race, the doll is a dog, and the children can customize their clothing.
Advertising
Physical advertising in the form of flags would help museum guests to be aware of the program. The current in-person advertising is easy to miss, causing guests to be unaware of the house entirely.
