The working life of Americans from the mid-19th century to the late 20th century will be explored in a traveling Smithsonian exhibition that will make its first stop in Florida at The Pioneer Florida Museum & Village in Dade City.
(Courtesy of National Archives, Records of the Children’s Bureau)
The exhibit – “The Way We Worked” – is part of the Museum on Main Street, which is a national, state and local effort to bring exhibitions and programs to rural cultural organizations. The Florida Humanities Council selected the Pioneer museum as a host site.
Visitors to the Pioneer museum, at 15602 Pioneer Museum Road in Dade City, can view the exhibit from Jan. 28 through March 18.
A series of local speakers will bring insight into Pasco County’s contributions to the nation’s work history.
There also will be field trips, special programs, lunch and learn events, and tours.
The Pioneer museum released details on the exhibit in a news release. The museum is seeking corporate sponsors, speakers and docents for additional programming.
(Courtesy of National Archives, Records of the War Department, General and Special Staffs)
“This is the first time a Smithsonian exhibition will be in East Pasco County,” said Stephanie Black, the museum’s executive director. “It allows us the opportunity to explore this fascinating aspect of our own region’s history, and we hope that it will inspire many to become even more involved in the cultural life in our community.”
The exhibit tells the story of working America through 86 black-and-white, and color, photographs. The photographs explain where Americans worked, how they worked, who they were and why they worked.
The traveling exhibit is an adaptation of an original exhibition by the National Archives and Records Administration, which explores the connections between work and American culture.
It is a look at the past 150 years at influences on the workforce and its environment, including the growth of manufacturing and the rise of technology.
Five other communities in the state also will host the exhibit in coming months, including the Polk County History Center in Bartow.
For information or to volunteer, visit PioneerFloridaMuseum.org.
Additional information also can be found at FloridaHumanities.org.
Published January 11, 2o17
