A July 2019 grant from the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas is helping to support interactive technology for youth and young adults, at the Gordon Parks Museum.
The museum is located on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton.
“The interactive technology tablet is up and running,” Museum Director Kirk Sharp said.
The museum purchased a tablet kiosk, a stand for the kiosk, and operational interactive software.
“It is designed to deliver content in an interactive setting for all of our visitors, especially younger audiences,” Sharp said. “This interactive software will not only provide information about Gordon Parks but will also allow the visitors to view photos, videos, interviews, review books, listen to music, create a drawing/painting, interactive trivia quiz game and much more.”
“It has been a goal of the museum board to offer an additional and more modern approach to learning, viewing and appreciating all of the collections and works of Gordon Parks,” Sharp said. “Providing interactive displays in different areas of the museum will benefit the viewer(s) by providing additional details and content to each supported exhibit. This tablet helps us achieve this goal.”
“This project helped to give us the ability to provide a more engaging way for the younger generation to learn more about our museum and keep visitors fully engaged,” Sharp said. “The interactive technology has helped make our museum more appealing to younger crowds and to encourage visitors return for future visits.”
“This project also supports our mission of using Gordon Parks’ remarkable life story to teach about artistic creativity, cultural awareness and the role diversity plays in our lives,” Sharp said.
“When the museum teaches about creativity, cultural awareness and diversity, it needs to be able to reach our visitors in creative ways, and by providing interactive technology, this will help us deliver on that objective,” Sharp said. “We want our visitors’ experience to be engaging, educational and interactive, especially for the youth so we can help to keep the Gordon Parks legacy alive for generations to come.”