Wondering what will be in the History Hub when it opens October 12, 2013? Wonder no more!

Look Beyond the Windows: We believe that some of the best learning opportunities are things that people see everyday in downtown Durham. This exhibit looks out the windows at the almost 360 view of Durham and points out changes over time. The first iteration will focus on the Hill Building, The Arts Council (formerly City Hall and the Central High School), Liggett and Myers buildings, and the NC Mutual tower.

Our Bull City: A rotating exhibit space that will show perspectives from the community. The first exhibit is being created by a group of high school students who are working on “Then & Now” projects that compare old and new photographs. Our partners on this project have been Student U, Through this Lens, and Duke Energy Foundation.

The Story Room: Visitors can step into the Story Room to record a personal memory about Durham’s past. They can also explore the memories others have shared or browse through books and old yearbooks. Stories recorded in the Story Room will be archived by the Durham County Library and may also be included in a Story Quilt being made by local quilters. Once curated and crafted, the Story Quilt will be on display in the Story Room. The Story Room is made possible by the Durham Merchants Association Charitable Foundation, the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, Glaxo Smith Kline, and generous individuals who participated in an amazing crowd-sourced fundraising campaign.

Kids’ Area: Kids are invited to “Step onto the Porch” and learn about people from Durham’s past. A trunk of dress-up clothes will allow them to dress like their Durham hero. Our partners on this project are Sew Crafty and PNC Foundation.

Rotating Exhibit: The History of Durham’s Early Hospitals:
Durham’s rich history of medicine and healthcare will be the first topic explored in our rotating exhibit space. The topics will rotate every six months. Duke Medicine is our partner on this exhibit.

Touchscreen Timeline: Visitors can use a touchscreen to explore key moments in Durham’s past. A post-it note wall will allow them to tell us what moments from Durham’s past are most important to them. They may see their feedback incorporated into the exhibit with a photo and caption. This exhibit area is made possible by the City of Durham’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development.

Durham A-Z: This exhibit will rotate monthly, providing the ABCs of Durham History. A is for Ads – How advertising made a market for tobacco; B is for Brick – who made all the brick in these tobacco buildings? C is for Coney Island of the South… You’ll have to come back to learn the rest.