Past Exhibitions

Reflections of the Past

Over 50 Years of Interpretation at KTM&HC

July 6 – August 31, 2022
Gilbert Wing of Keeler Tavern Museum

Conveying history is an act of interpretation. Whether in museums, in schools, or in popular history books, a complete and total recitation of the events of the past is not only impractical, but impossible. Instead, historians, curators, teachers, and everyday people interpret our collective past through the stories they choose to remember and pass on to future generations. In this way, history is as much about the present as it is about the past. Historical retellings reflect contemporary values and anxieties, cultural movements and the social zeitgeist.

In the 56 years that Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center has been open to the public, it has interpreted the lives of the residents of the home. This exhibition explores how Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center's interpretation of its history—in the stories and figures included in museum tours and programs—reflects the broader cultural and social climate of the time.

» View the full exhibition schedule