Museum at the Bighorns: a basecamp for historical exploration into the 21st Century

The Museum at the Bighorns is developing a new identity to better serve both residents and visitors to the area. 

Museum at the Bighorns Executive Director Danielle Stuckle told listeners of Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse program, she and her team are brainstorming ideas to not only make the museum relevant for returning visitors, but redefine what a museum can be for both new and returning visitors. 

During the appearance, Stuckle said the team has made small changes to existing exhibits. 

The subtle changes are intentional, before Stuckle goes forward with more abrupt changes to the exhibits, she wants to know what the public would enjoy seeing at their museum. 

This shift in strategy is being embraced by many museums throughout the nation, and the techniques to create such a change originated from an unlikely source, the gaming industry.

According to a January 2023 Market Research Report by IBIS World, education shifted to a more virtual experience during the COVID-19 crisis. Students have become more accustomed to virtual tours as school districts invested heavily in remote learning technology. The trend is expected to lower the number of school tours to many local museums nationwide, one of the largest revenue sources for many museums in the country. 

Stuckle took note of a technique used by video game developing companies. Many producers of video games take suggestions from their customers via social media, emails and other electronic communication. 

According to Stuckle, a museum should only be the starting point for a customer’s curiosity regarding a period of history they find interesting. Acting as a base camp for visitors to explore all of Sheridan County while visiting historical locations. 

The Museum at the Bighorns is open and operating from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays – Saturdays.