open-air museum

An open-air museum is a category of museum that exhibits collections of buildings and artifacts out-of-doors. European open-air museums are variously known as skansen, museums of buildings and folk museums. A recent form is the Ecomuseum, which originated in France. A comprehensive history of the open-air museum as idea and institution can be found in Swedish museologist Sten Rentzhog’s 2007 book Open Air Museums: The History and Future of a Visionary Idea. Living history museums, including living farm museums and living museums, are a type of open-air museum where costumed interpreters portray period life in an earlier era. The interpreters act as if they are really living in a different time and place, such as the Colonial era, and perform everyday household tasks, crafts and occupations. The goal is to demonstrate older lifestyles and pursuits to modern audiences. Household tasks might include cooking on an open hearth, churning butter, spinning wool and weaving, and farming without modern equipment. Many living museums feature traditional craftsmen at work, such as a blacksmith, cooper, potter, miller, sawmill worker, printer, doctor and general store keeper.